JULIETTE 
RECAMIER 



AND TIMES 



^DELIA 
AUSTRIAN 




Rnnlr .'^^ A? 



CilEQUGHT DEPOSm 



JULIETTE RECAMIER 



TO MY SISTER 
MRS, J. HARRY SELZ 



«u 



f^l^y 



Copyright 1922 

by 
Delia Austrian 

Foreign copyrights and 
dramatic rights reserved 



MAY -8 '22 

g)C!,A661S23 



Contents 
Chapter P^S^ 

I The queen of four reigns . . . lo 

II Her early loves 2,5 

III The beginning of the Empire . 37 

IV Letters 47 

V The intrusion of sorrow ... 59 

VI A summer at Coppet . . , , 6^ 

VII Juliette's exile 7^ 

VIII Juliette in Rome 77 

IX Reunion of Juliette and 

Chateaubriand 9^ 

X Juliette back in Paris . . . .115 

XI The tragedies of the Convent . 133 



Illustrations 

Mme. Recamier . . . facing page 25 
Mme. De Stael . . . . facing page 71 



JULIETTE RECAMIER 




(Pkafier i 
THE GtJJEEN OF TOUR REIGNS 



WAS ON A LOVELY SEPTEMBER 
DAY, THE SIXTH FLORE AL YEAR 

of Liberty, and the 24th of April 1793, 
when a slender girl of fifteen came down a 
long flight of stairs from the Hotel de Ville. 
A slight arm was locked in that of her 
tall blond husband. 

You knew that she was a bride because 
of the white bonnet she wore, finished oflF 

by a long veil, and by the soft white dress. Brilliant chestnut 

curls showed under the bonnet's frill. 

Her girlish oval face wore an earnest expression with but a 

mere suggestion of a smile. She held her husband's arm tighter 

as strange noises came to her ears from the neighboring streets. 

10 



ecamier g-^^^sD 




The bridegroom looked admiringly into that sweet child-like 
countenance whose serious expression seemed rather unnatural. 
But even her earnestness could not conceal her beauty or 
detract from the svelte and graceful figure that was adorned 
so simply by the wedding finery. 

In this girlish and undeveloped figure he saw promise of a 
stately and well poised carriage, in the face he saw a rarely 
handsome woman. 

Her mild eyes were shaded by long silky lashes. The color of 
her cheeks was accentuated by her warm lips, which Diderot 
said was "like a jar of milk on which one tosses rose leaves," 
but at this time her sensitive nostrils quivered with fear. 

Her youth caused her husband, who was years older, to look 
like a father rather than as a wedded mate. Neither of them 



II 



12 The Life of Juliette Recamier 

was really conscious of the fact that they had just 
left the Hotel de Ville, where they had been pro- 
claimed man and wife by an official wearing the red 
bonnet, or that they had signed the register. 

For this young, half-frightened girl was none other 
than Juliette Bernard, the only daughter of M. Bernard, 
a notary, who came from Lyons and who was an 
ancient receiver of finance in Paris. 

The husband was Monsieur Jacques Rose Recamier, 
a prominent French banker. She was more conscious 
of his strength than of her own physical charms as 
she looked up into his blue eyes and tightly held his 
sturdy arm. They were followed and attended by a 
single couple, Juliette's parents. 

The young girl trembled from head to toe as she 
heard the coarse laughter and cries ''Long live Barras." 

These words were from the lips of a mob of dirty- 
looking men and women who came from a narrow 
street into the wide boulevard. They gathered closely 
about a man who sat in a chair that was supported 
by four of his followers. He wore a wreath of oak 
leaves and his face was lighted by a cynical smile 
that showed plainly how conscious he was of his power. 
In passing, his heavy baggy eyes fixed themselves on 
the pretty trembling girl who drew closer to her husband. 

The marriage ceremony was completed by a small 
reception to which Juliette's parents and a few of their 
intimate friends were bidden. This attractive, inno- 
cent girl was more absorbed in youthful pastimes than 
in creating a salon, or even in pleasing her husband. 

Such was the wedding day of Juliette Recamier, a 
girl of fifteen who was born and passed her early years 



The Life of Juliette Recamier 13 

at Lyons in the company of her parents and of old 
Simonard, a Hfe-long friend of the family. She re- 
ceived her training for a later life in her mother's salon. 

Her father, a tall and handsome figure, also had a 
pleasing personality, that attracted financiers to their 
homes both in Lyons and later in Paris. 

But her best training was gained at Villefranche, 
where she spent her childhood days in a convent, 
watched over by an aunt, her mother's sister, who was 
celebrated for her charming manner and the careful 
supervision she gave her little niece. 

There was a romantic incident in her early days 
worth mentioning. It was while living in this convent 
that this little girl of seven or eight met a little boy by 
the name of Humboldt, who at this time was not con- 
scious of the fact that some day he was to become a 
great naturalist and philosopher, and that the little 
girl he then loved was to captivate the heart of many 
another famous man. 

They only knew they liked each other in their inno- 
cent and charming way. 

Although it was only a childish fancy for both, 
Juliette often said to her husband and to others that 
Humboldt was her first real lover. 

Camille Jordan, a scholar of his day, was one of her 
most welcome guests, first at Lyons and later in Paris. 
He was noticeable for his easy, amiable manner as well 
as for his democratic and original mind. 

Equally friendly was Lemontey, who was celebrated 
for his learning — and his willingness to display it. 

One of the most welcome of these visitors was Jacques 
Recamier who was called by his friends in Lyons, unjoli 



14 The Life of Juliette Recamier 

garqon (a pretty man). He was admired by Juliette and 
her family because he was gay and generous and always 
knew the right way of doing things. He treated the 
pretty Juliette as a child, amazed her with wonderful 
stories, much as he would have done had she been his 
daughter. He brought her candies and dolls. 

Therefore this girl of fifteen was not surprised when 
he asked her hand in marriage. Speaking of this mar- 
riage her aunt, Mme. Lenormant said: "The affec- 
tions which make real happiness and dignity in woman, 
were lacking. She was neither wife nor mother and 
her heart was a desert." 

This civil marriage did not culminate in any religious 
service offered at the church or at Juliette's home. For 
in these stormy days when Barras' eyes and his groups 
were watching for those who were opposed to their 
regime, it was considered wise to carry on all celebra- 
tions quietly. 

Then, as later, her husband treated her as a daughter. 
His chief motive in marrying her seemed to be to 
give her his increased affection and his fortune, in 
case the hungry mob should select him as one of the 
number to be slaughtered. 

The stormy days in which she was married, soon 
took a turn for the better, after the ninth thermidor, 
which brought the execution of Robespierre, Henroit, 
Couthon and Saint Just. 

Speaking of those days Henry Turquan in his life 
of Madame Recamier said: **A short time after the 
triumph of the Thermidorians, her husband's fortune 
crowned his efforts and the bank of Recamier became 
the strength of the capital." 



The Life of Juliette Recamier 15 

Mme. Recamier was one of the handsomest women 
of her day. She had as rivals la citoyenne Tallien, the 
mistress of Barras and also known as a great beauty. 

There was also the marquise of Fontenat as well as 
Mme. Caburrus, and later the Princesse de Chimay, 
mentioned for her beauty and graceful dancing, as 
well as was the lightfooted Mme. Hamelin. All 
these women were beautiful figures on the ball-room 
floor, and Mme. Recamier watched them with great 
interest. 

Meanwhile in the year 1794 and during the year of 
1795 which saw the powers of the convention expire, 
Mme. Recamier only visited the salons of some of 
the bankers, and was seen only at public balls. One 
saw her frequently in an open carriage on the boule- 
vards, attracting great crowds by her sweet and 
charming expression. 

Madame Recamier was one of the fashionable 
women who enjoyed amusing themselves. When she 
had once become a queen in the Chaussee d'Antin, 
this woman of elegance and of fashion appeared at 
the home of Tourten, Perregaux and Sequin and at 
many other splendid homes. 

La Harpe was a friend of the family even in Lyons, 
and she followed his lectures given at the Lycee with 
much interest. 

There was always a seat kept close to his, and it 
was vacant until her arrival. Juliette Recamier was 
even then so well known for her beauty and charm 
that she greatly helped in making La Harpe's lectures 
popular. 

This man La Harpe was a gallant; he had success 



i6 The Life of Juliette Recamier 

as well as pretension and he was as unrestrained as 
a child. He had a splendid head and an amiable ex- 
pression, but his figure was small and without ele- 
gance. 

He had courage, audacity, an air of decision and 
authority and he often sacrificed himself to these 
traits. 

His expression was impertinent, especially when 
he was well-powdered and dressed in black velvet 
with a gold vest and cuffs made of filet of lace. A 
man of gallantry and of charming spirit. 

He exercised his authority in powerful action and 
charm. The play of Warwick was his first triumph 
in 1763 when he was but twenty-six years of age. 
La Harpe was sensitive to harsh criticism and he tried 
to appear as a restorer of taste. He succeeded as a 
journalist and largely on account of his defiant attitude. 

When his friends told him that he was too theatri- 
cal, he answered: "I cannot help that. It is stronger 
than I am." 

Juliette Recamier played the harp exquisitely and 
had a pleasing voice, and much of her time and at- 
tention was given to music. She was often seen at 
Feydau's concerts where the very best music was 
rendered. She also attended the open air fetes that 
were given at Vauxhall and at the Tivoli. 

Wherever she went she was recognized, because of 
her simple and elegant dressing. She usually wore 
white with soft fichus folded about her neck in a 
certain fashion, tied with a blue ribbon. At times 
the crowds applauded her and made other signs of 
their approval of her beauty and charm, and she with 



The Life of Juliette Recamier 17 

the confidence of a queen bowed in recognition of their 
generous admiration. 

During the days of Barras, who was one of the 
Directory and head of the Repubhc, the balls were 
many and occasionally the lovely Juliette was seen 
at them in the company of Mme. Tallien and Mme. 
Beauharnais, the latter a beauty well known for her 
rich olive complexion and brilliant eyes. 

Arsene Houssaye, writing of these days, says: 

"I shall never forget my surprise when leaving the 
apartments of Barras and reaching the foot of the 
stairway, at having encountered three women notice- 
able for their extreme beauty. Madame Tallien, 
Madame Recamier and Madame Beauharnais, who 
habitually ornamented the salons of the Directory — 
a new kind of surprise for me. 

"It was at one of these fetes that Madame Recamier 
first met Mme. Tallien, the mistress of Barras." 

It was about this time she also made the acquain- 
tance of Madame de Stael, which acquaintance soon 
budded and developed into a lasting friendship. 

Their meeting came about through Monsieur Re- 
camier and Juliette calling on Monsieur Necker, as pos- 
sible purchasers, the father of Madame de Stael, at 
number seven Rue du Mont Blanc, which house his 
daughter owned and wished to sell. 

The brilliant de Stael, fascinating writer, was 
captivated by Juliette Recamier's naive charm and 
beauty and although eleven years older she had a 
forceful influence on Juliette from the very first. 
This fact is transcribed in a letter written by Ben- 
jamin Constant about Madame Recamier: "One 



1 8 The Life of Juliette Recamier 

day, and this day was an epoch in my life, M. Re- 
camier and his wife went to Clichy, with a woman 
whose name I cannot remember, and he left me alone 
with this lady to join some friends in the park. She 
wore a morning dress and a straw hat trimmed with 
flowers and I took her for a stranger. 

"I was taken by the beauty of her eyes and her 
glance. I could not make up my mind where I had 
seen her before, though I felt certain we were not ab- 
solute strangers." After a few formal words, spoken 
in a vivacious and penetrating manner, de Stael's 
father, M. Necker, left them alone together. 

"At these words I knew it was no other than Mme. 
de Stael. I did not hear anything else that was said; 
I blushed my embarrassment and my consciousness 
was great. I had read her letters on Rousseau and 
I was delighted with them. 

"She frightened and attracted me at one and the 
same time. I felt in her a person perfectly natural, 
but having a great nature. She fixed her curious eyes 
on me, full of kindness, and paid me compliments 
about my beauty which seemed exaggerated and too 
direct. She expressed a desire to see me often when 
she returned to Paris, for she was leaving for Coppet. 

"This was only an apparition in my life but it was 
strong. I no longer thought of her, though I felt 
the reaction of her strong and ardent nature." 

By this time Jacques Recamier had become one of 
the strongest bankers in Paris and he felt that his 
wife's beauty was worthy of a suitable setting. After 
buying the home of Mme. de Stael it was remodeled 
completely. 



The Life of Juliette Recamier 19 

The best architects and interior decorators were 
called in to help make it over. The velvet carpets 
were soft enough to deaden all sounds. The vesti- 
bules were brightened with foliage and flowers, and 
were trimmed with marble. 

The bedrooms were noted for their long mirrors 
and rich draperies, that harmonized with the differ- 
ent colored satin upholstered furniture. The two 
salons were large; the doors and walls were finished 
with massive walnut in keeping with the heavy car- 
pets and rich furniture and all the rooms were lighted 
with bronze lamps. 

The banker encouraged his young wife to entertain 
men and women of influence of different social ranks 
and of various political parties. 

No sooner were the doors of her salon thrown open 
than the rooms were crowded with financiers, army 
men, politicians, savants and writers. It was said 
that great men who often clashed outside because of 
their different political views brushed these differences 
aside in Juliette's salon and were very friendly toward 
each other. 

During Le Directoire few salons were open, and 
this one, presided over by a young woman, notice- 
able for her rare beauty and girlish manner, soon 
became the most popular place in Paris. M. de la 
Harpe, a friend of her mother's, often was a visitor 
there. It was Voltaire who said of la Harpe: "He 
always keeps things boiling without cooking anything." 

Le Montey, who was known to have loved to enter 
upon long literary discussions, was another of the 
men who came to visit Juliette at this time. The 



20 The Life of Juliette Recamier 

Royalists were welcomed there on equal terms with 
the men and women who stood for the Republican 
Party. 

Kotzebue in his souvenirs of Paris, tells the fol- 
lowing story: "One day a great ball was given at 
the home of Madame Recamier, when the hostess 
was taken ill suddenly. All at once the doors of 
her bedroom were thrown open to give the guests 
an opportunity to look in the room. 

"To get a better view, many stood on the foot- 
stools and chairs. The scramble was so great that 
finally M. Recamier rushed into the salon, and put 
napkins and plates on the furniture to protect them 
from damage." 

At the debut of the Consulat Juliette Recamier 
was feted and applauded, as one of the youngest 
queens of the day. She gave tone to the social world 
in which she moved. Even before, after General 
Bonaparte's return from Egypt, her salon was thrown 
open to the greatest officers and statesmen in France. 

She had made already the friendship of the Mont- 
morencies that continued throughout her life. Mathieu 
Montmorency, the scholarly and more serious minded 
of the two, had made himself known in the United 
States of America. He was thrilled by the French 
wars like many French soldiers and he wanted to 
fight for Liberty in America. 

Mathieu was married to a French girl who had 
borne him a daughter, but conjugal responsibilities 
were soon forgotten, first in war days and later in 
a long flirtation he had with Madame de Stael. Adrien, 
the younger Montmorency, also admired this clever 



The Life of Juliette Recamier 21 

woman but he was known to *'have an elastic heart." 
But the Montmorencies' admiration for Madame 
de Stael was totally eclipsed by the devotion of both 
men to Juliette Recamier. Both came frequently to 
her salon and Mathieu became her lifelong friend and 
counselor. 

The women who visited her salon admired her as 
much as did the men. Mme. Bacciochi, Madame 
Murat, the sisters of Napoleon, courted her favor 
and often invited Juliette to their opera box and to 
the theatre. Radiant as Josephine Beauharnais was 
herself, she felt that she had a worthy rival in Madame 
Recamier. Her son Eugene loved to flirt with the 
new queen and went so far one evening, as to take 
a ring from Juliette and beg to be allowed to keep 
it as a worthy memento of their friendship, but she 
insisted on his returning the bauble. 

At this time she appeared brilliant, and we see her 
followed and courted by Lucien, brother to Napoleon 
Bonaparte. Lucien was the first important person 
in the history of the times who had loved her. Caro- 
line Bonaparte (Madame Murat) was never an inti- 
mate friend of Juliette's but there existed between 
these women a sort of comradeship, provoked by a 
similarity in their beauty, and because of their youth. 

Monsieur Recamier favored this friendship and en- 
couraged them to exchange visits. A financier of influ- 
ence, he ever welcomed the friendships Juliette made, 
so long as they promoted his business interests. 

One day, while Juliette was going to a luncheon, 
given to Madame Baciocchi, Madame de Stael and 
others, a messenger announced that her father had 



22 The Life of Juliette Recamier 

been arrested and locked up in the temple. She was 
told that as administrator of letters he was accused 
of having allowed the correspondence of Royalist 
pamphlets to be published. 

Naturally the luncheon was broken up and Madame 
Recamier begged permission to hasten to Fouche to 
see if he would revoke the sentence pronounced 
against her father. 

Caroline Bonaparte took her to the Comedie Fran- 
cais where she found her sister Pauline all absorbed 
in the actor Lafen, who was playing a leading role 
in one of the successes of the day. 

Fouche had refused to see M. Bernard's daughter. 
He said that the arrest had been caused by the deci- 
sion of the consul and could only be revoked by him. 
It was then that she hurried to the theatre and begged 
the sisters to influence Napoleon to change the order. 

Caroline invited the tortured Juliette to their box, 
where Pauline was found with her attention focused 
on the play. Juliette pleaded with Caroline, asked 
if one or both of them would help her. Alas, no. 
Pauline was too busy conveying her impressions of 
the acting to her sister, to be bothered with any out- 
side matter. 

In the meantime a person kept himself modestly 
in a far corner of the box, and the evident chagrin 
of this young woman awakened the pity and kind- 
ness of this silent observer. 

This man. General Bernadotte, offered graciously 
to accompany Juliette to the First Consul. Impressed 
by his kindness Juliette accepted his offer with no 
hesitation. Excited by her beauty he became elo- 



The Life of Juliette Recamier 23 

quent and showed that he was anxious to be of service 
to her. Her beauty and persuasive power and Ber- 
nadotte's eloquence gained the day and Monsieur 
Bernard was allowed to leave the temple the next day, 
though later on he was dismissed from his position. 

After they left Napoleon's rooms, Juliette thanked 
Bernadotte warmly. This was the beginning of a 
long and true friendship. The love he showed for 
her was evinced by the many letters he wrote to her. 
But this cruel incident changed Juliette's feelings 
toward the entire Royalist party. 




Chapter II 

Her Early Loves 

BOUT this time Lucien Bonaparte aspired 
to become Juliette Recamier's lover. 
Though he was married already his wife 
was delicate, and went little in society. 
This combination of circumstances gave 
Lucien freedom to flirt with all the handsome women 
he met. 

He considered his intimacies with well known 
women to be important in the assistance of further- 
ing his political importance and career. According 
to the historians of the day he was a handsome man 
but rather effeminate looking. 

He had a well shaped head, and well-moulded 
features. Though much taller than his brother 
Napoleon, his physique was poor and he had a spinal 
irregularity that caused him to stoop slightly. His 
hands were unusually large as were his feet and he 
gesticulated a great deal while talking. With women 
he made every effort to be at his best and when he 
grew excited he became somewhat feline. 

Lucien was devoted to Madame Recamier, so much 
so in fact that he was ever ready to dance attendance 
on her slightest whim. She is said to have dined 
with him several times at the more fashionable res- 
taurants in Paris, and even welcomed him as she did 
many other famous men, to a spirit of social eclat 
and coquetry. At this time Lucien was but twenty- 
five years of age, and was Secretary of the Interior. 

25 



id The Life of Juliette Recamier 

A short time afterwards, his wife died, and Lucien 
ceased his frequent visits to Madame Recamier for 
a time, but he wrote her many ardent letters which 
she regarded Hghtly, only later to realize how genuine 
his expressions of sentiment were. 

While in Venice he wrote her more ardent epistles 
under the title, "First letters from Romeo to Juliet." 

One of these read: "Romeo writes to you, Juliet. 
If you refuse to read my letter you will be more cruel 
than our people whose quarrels have just been ap- 
peased. 

"Without doubt these dreadful quarrels will never 
come again. A few days ago I only knew you by 
reputation; I had seen you a few times at church and 
at fetes. I knew that you were the most beautiful 
woman — a thousand lips had sung your praises; but 
the friends who complimented were weak in praise 
indeed. Why has this time of peace delivered me 
to your Empire? 

"Remember that day when I was introduced to 
you? We celebrated our country's reconciliation at a 
great banquet. I had just come from the senate 
where troubles about the Republic had produced a 
lively impression on me. My mind was filled with 
deep thoughts. I arrived, quite sad and lost in 
dreams in those Bellemare Gardens, where we were 
expected. Merriment is always there and it dissi- 
pated my grief. I gave myself up to that rest for 
which skillfulness and calculation are necessary to 
conquer it. 

"How good was this rest in contrast to human life, 
where everything is battle, attack and pursuit. 



The Life of Juliette Recamier 27 

"You came then — and they all followed and sur- 
rounded you. 'How beautiful she is!' was the gen- 
eral outcry. 

"The room where I stood was soon empty. I 
hardly could keep back with my companion at play. 
I refused to follow him, to fly near you. I seemed to 
be afraid of my Fate and to be willing to make my 
liberty of heart last a few moments longer. 

"Chance or love brought me near you. I heard 
your voice, I was your slave. I could not admire 
your features enough, your accent, your silence, your 
movements, and your expression, which is still 
embellished by indifference, for you know how to 
make your indifference attractive. 

"Crowds of people in the evening filled the Gardens. 
Intruders, who were everywhere, came to me. This 
time I had no patience nor politeness for them — -they 
kept me away from you. 

"When you appeared all eyes were on you. The 
men admired you and the women sought in you a 
subject of consolation. On the banks of a lake I 
observed your way of walking which is as simple 
as is your dress. In every movement and in every 
fold of your gown, flowers seemed to grow. I wanted 
to shake off the trouble that had taken hold of me. 
I found out that it was love and I wished to master it. 

"I was taken away and left the Gardens of Belle- 
mare at the same time you did. I saw you again 
since love smiled on me. One day sitting on the 
bank of a river quiet and dreaming, you played with 
a rose. I thought I heard a sigh. Vain illusion. 
As I saw my error I knew that indifference was seated 



28 The Life of Juliette Recamier 

between us. Passion overcame me and expressed 
itself in my speech, but yours bore only a cruel joke. 

"My complaints accompanied my sighs. You 
doubted Romeo, you spoke of his art of pretending 
feelings which he has not. Oh, Juliette, life without 
love is a long, long sleep. The most beautiful woman 
should have feelings. 

"Happy must be the mortal who becomes the 
friend of your heart. Without doubt Romeo is not 
the one whom love has chosen for you, since he could 
not inspire you with esteem, since you cannot accuse 
him of hypocrisy. Without doubt he will be a victim 
of your indifference. 

"Juliette — Romeo gives himself up to his Fate, but 
do not despise him nor think him false. Answer 
his love with pity and by believing in him. I wish 
to see you every day as though there were not enough 
pain already in my heart. 

"I can see you alone but seldom, and these Vene- 
tians who surround you with their gallantry are un- 
supportable to me. Can anyone speak to Juliette, 
as to another woman? I wished to write to you. 
You will know me, you will believe in me. My soul 
is restless, it is parched with desire. If my love has 
not touched yours, if Romeo is in your eyes but an 
ordinary man, I beg you by all the ties which you 
imposed through kindness, do not smile, do not speak. 

"Tell me to go away, and if I cannot accomplish 
this hard order remember that at least Romeo will 
love you always; that no one has ruled over him as 
has Juliette and that he cannot give up living for 
her — living in remembrance. Romeo." 



The Life of Juliette Recamier 29 

But it did not take a Lucien Bonaparte to make 
Juliette Recamier's beauty famous both in Paris and 
in London. After the peace of Amiens the French 
flocked to London and the English to Paris. 

Madame Recamier was one of the many who paid 
a long visit to England. While in London the papers 
gave a minute account of her social triumphs in the 
home of leading society women, at the theatres and 
at the opera. She could not walk through Kensing- 
ton Gardens without attracting great crowds and 
having the fact recorded in all the papers. 

The beautiful duchess of Devonshire entertained 
her royally and was pleased with her beauty and 
charming personality. 

Sainte Beuve, speaking of Juliette in his Causerie du 
Lundi, says: *'At the debut of the Consulate one 
found her most brilliantly feted; applauded by every- 
one for her elegance, for her knack of giving tone to 
the world, and for inventing by her subtle art those 
things that stand for supreme beauty. 

"Glancing back at her, though we do not wish to 
make of her a goddess, we can only think of her 
beauty, tender and nurtured with a delicacy which 
marked her individual charm." 

In the life of Madame Recamier we notice two 
distinct epochs; her days of youth with her triumph 
and her beauty, her long day of sunshine lasting 
well into the evening. Later, in the twilight of her 
life, after the sun had begun to set, I hesitate to 
speak. I cannot speak of her old age. 

In these two epochs so full of color that they were one 
at the foundation, though they seemed to be different. 



30 The Life of Juliette Recamier 

In both periods she showed traits that were es- 
sentially the same, and to show how strong she re- 
mained in this upheaval, she always remained pure. 

She always guarded her desire of conquest, and 
her gracious personality, her coquetry was pure, al- 
most angelic. 

Le Montey was another of her guests who was always 
epigrammatic and found great pleasure in going to 
Juliette's salon where he entered into long discus- 
sions on many subjects. A friend of the family from 
the time Juliette was in Lyons, he looked upon her 
as a loyal friend, ever ready to do him a favor as she 
was ready to serve so many of her friends. 

The most persistent of these suitors was Benjamin 
Constant — the Inconstant. He was a mobile, change- 
able soul, but possessed a sort of sincerity which dis- 
armed the doubts that many people held toward him. 

"There are two personalities," he said, **in me, and 
one is after the other." 

Constant mocked himself until it became second 
nature. 

Madame de Stael had great influence in his political 
writings and did much to have him turn against 
Napoleon. He was named consul of state and played 
a part in framing Uact Additiom.!. This brilliant 
young writer was dominated by Germaine's ideas of 
politics and social life and he grew to love her, even 
going so far as to ask for her heart and hand. 

Germaine, however, held him off, because at this 
time she was much interested in Prosper de Barante, 
who was then prefect of Leman. Madame de Stael 
was so taken with Barante's cleverness that she 



The Life of Juliette Recamier 31 

said: "No man of his age is so clever and so 
talented." Barante courted de Stael while Constant 
looked on and bided his time. Later on de Stael 
looked with favor on Constant's suit, but by this 
time the fickle Benjamin was head over heels in love 
with Juliette Recamier. 

He wrote her some thirty or more passionate let- 
ters in which he poured out his soul no less ardently 
than Lucien Bonaparte had done. 

Constant had a wonderful style both in speaking 
and in writing; he was celebrated for his clearness 
and had a charm that is rarely found in men of let- 
ters. It is said that he spoke abruptly like Voltaire 
and had not the sonorous rhetoric of Rousseau. His 
language was somber and rich, harmonious and simple 
without being sentimental. 

His pronunciation was different from the usual 
conversationalist and was hard to follow, but once 
into his subject he spoke with great fluency. His face 
showed a peculiar combination of French vivacity 
and English stiffness. He had a great weakness for 
gambling, and was far from being a saint, but it is 
said that there was a raillery in his humor and wick- 
edness that made him a delightful companion. 

When not gambling he was absorbed in religion, 
especially religious liberty and philosophy, and was 
ever ready to give his time and money to anybody 
that wanted or needed them. 

Speaking of religion he says: **Let us leave re- 
hgion to itself; always progressive and proportional, 
it will advance with ideas and it will become purer 
with morality. God will beautify at each epoch that 



32 The Life of Juliette Recamier 

which is best. Let us always ask for religious liberty 
in every speech, surround religion with an invincible 
force and guarantee its perfection." 

This thin and pale, blonde man gave much time 
and thought to serious observations. Just as he had 
gone to Madame de Stael for intellectual inspiration 
in his early days he went to Juliette Recamier for 
spiritual consolation. 

When he failed to receive it, he went to Madame 
Kriidener and prayed with her that Juliette would give 
him spiritual sympathy. She was always willing to 
give him that, as she had given it to many others, 
but she refused to give him love. 

Constant was able to flatter her vanity as he had 
that of many another young person, but further than 
that he could not go. He poured out his love to her 
in letter after letter. In one he wrote: "I love you 
no less than the time you found me weeping at your 
feet. I suffer so much with the least sign of indiffer- 
ence, and they are many. 

"I am restless every moment of my life. I hold 
but one thought. You hold my being in one hand, 
as God does his creatures. A glance, a word, a ges- 
ture would change my very existence, and yet I sub- 
mit myself to everything, and I do not complain. I 
suffer when you show your indifference at seeing me, 
because I cannot live without seeing you. 

"And I often suffer and sacrifice much to win a 
smile from you. Oh, I would give my life for an hour 
of real joy with you. For this prize I would pierce 
my heart with my sword and spill my blood for you. 

"But this is not to be wondered at, since you are 



The Life of Juliette Recamier 23 

an angel from heaven. Nature could not have created 
a being more beautiful, more attractive, more en- 
chanting in every glance, in every word than are you. 

"Was there ever a woman who had so many charms, 
a mind so fine, a manner so naive and piquant, such 
worthy instincts for everything that is noble and pure? 

"You dominate over everything you touch. You 
are a model of grace and delicacy and of reason which 
astonishes by its justice and which captivates by its 
goodness which sweetens it. 

"Why does this goodness not reach me and me 
alone? I have never loved as I love you. I have 
told you tonight that if you must torture me you 
must console me by telling me of some sacrifice I 
may make for you. Farewell. You will excuse me 
for having written to you. I have hesitated before 
sending this letter for fear of annoying you. Benja- 
min Constant." 

Another of his ardent letters is as follows: 

"My heart goes out to you. I must tell you how 
much I love you. My feeling is qualified by many 
characteristics which it once lacked. I find in you 
a thousand new charms; your mind is the only one 
which is suited to mine. Your happiness is so genu- 
ine, your soul is so pure and noble; every word from 
you indicates delicacy in showing goodness. 

"I love you in everything that is beautiful and 
adorable on this earth. Oh, let me love you. I shall 
feel better for so doing. I shall respect myself the 
more. I am thankful to feel with so much strength 
all you are and all you are worth. My love is my 
only thought. It becomes almost a happiness be- 



34 The Life of Juliette Recamier 

cause it is so sweet to admire and to love you. I 
cannot help telling you although my poor letters re- 
main unanswered. But I love you as I love God 
to whom we pray and whose good influence we feel 
is in His heart in spite of His silence. 

"Do not forget that you gave me permission to 
see you at two o'clock. You are Heaven, you are 
God to and for me. 

"When Heaven closes itself, when God pushes me 
aside I feel that hell is about me. Everything that 
is good and sweet in me is killed when you draw back 
from me. Take me in pity and save me. You can 
do it, and you are the only one who can do it. 

*T shall not trouble your life; I shall not go any 
further than you wish me to. I will retire humbly 
as soon as I feel that I am annoying you. But a 
quarter of an hour tete a tete with you, a word and 
an assurance of kindness is water in the desert. I 
often suffer and sacrifice much to win a smile from you. 

"Good-bye and pardon my writing to you. I have com- 
menced twenty letters during ten days and the idea that 
they hadlittlemeaning for you keptmefrom sending them. 

"How much I love you; how much you mean to 
me; how much I adore you and your smile makes 
me joyous. What happiness could be mine with 
your friendship. Good-bye, Juliette. Allow me to speak 
your name for the last time. I have suffered much 
but I hope that I never did you any harm. God is 
witness to the truth of this. Forget all that you 
wish to forget. I have been sincere, devoted and I 
have never had any feeling of egotism in my love. As 
ever, Benjamin Constant." 



The Life of Juliette Recamier 35 

One of the writers of her day speaking of Madame 
Recamier, without using her name, wrote: "Eve is 
the extreme moment of innocence, when people play 
with danger." This moment of indecision which did 
not last with Eve, began in the youth of Juliette 
Recamier, but it was always continued, and was 
dominated by a feeling stronger because of some 
secret virtue. 

This young woman was imprudent, confident and 
curious as a child or a school-girl would be. She 
went to peril with security, with charity, smiling like 
those Christian kings of ancient days who healed the 
sick during Holy week. 

She never doubted her power or her virtue. 

She liked to wound hearts that she might be able 
to heal them afterwards. 

Most of her friends had begun by faUing in love 
with her; she had many lovers and she retained them 
all as friends. She could not conceive any happiness 
beyond duty and placed her ideals where she found 
so little, especially in marriage. 

More than once during the days of her greatest 
beauty in the midst of a grand fete of which she 
was the queen she would weep bitterly. 

She had what Shakespere calls "the milk of human 
kindness." 

Sainte Beuve in his Causerie du Lundi says: "At the 
d^but of the Consulate one found her the most bril- 
liantly applauded, feted and youngest of the queens. 
She was proclaimed by everyone for her elegance, 
giving tone to the world, inventing by her art those 
things which stand for supreme beauty." 




Chapter III 

The Beginning of the Empire 

'^TAPOLEON was elected consul for life on 
the second of August, 1802. He looked on 



this office as a stepping stone to being 
proclaimed Emperor. 

He had a monstrous pride and an ever 
present affectation, which was so studied that it 
almost became second nature. 

He used the chariot of war to gain the reign of 
peace. His Italian blood explained his quick sudden 
passions and complex nature. Having sprung from 
an unknown family he could only copy himself. His 
heavy face with its clean cut strong features was 
noticeably large for his body. The "grandmere" 
written by Beranger says: "He was egotism personi- 
fied. He was dry and his coldness was an antidote 
for his imagination. 

"He refused to tolerate the slightest independence. 

"That his victories helped the relations existing 
between kings and their subjects is positive and they 
brought people out of their social enlargement in no 
small measure. 

"He worked knowingly for the pohtical and civil 
deliverance of nations while he established a most 
exacting kind of despotism trying to give Europe — 
and France more especially — the freest of constitu- 
tions. Napoleon was a tyrant disguised as a tribune." 

Meanwhile the Empire was proclaimed on the fourth 
of May, 1804. The coronation was to take place 

37 



38 The Life of Juliette Recamier 

the second of December. Without waiting for any 
ceremony the Emperor started to form his household: 
he made all his sisters princesses. One day Fouche 
approached Madame Recamier and offered her a 
place as lady in waiting. He reminded her of how 
Bonaparte had saved her father. But she recalled 
to the chief of police how Napoleon had caused the 
execution of the Duke of Enghien and the exile of 
Germaine de Stael for her book *'Dix Annees d'Exile." 

Fouche explained that she was causing danger for 
herself by taking this hostile attitude. 

A few days later Juliette Recamier took breakfast 
with Princess Caroline, the sister of the Emperor. 
The minister of police, who was there, asked her for 
a decision, but all he received by way of reply was 
she could not accept this flattering offer. 

Fouche never forgot this answer nor did Napoleon, 
and when, later on, Madame Recamier appealed to 
Napoleon to help save Monsieur Recamier's banking 
house she was given a curt, **No," with the additional 
comment, "Why should I be interested in her? She is 
not my mistress." 

Juliette felt her husband's failure keenly, especially as 
she felt that Napoleon could have advanced to the bank 
enough money to tide over her husband's difficulty. 

Shortly after this, she lost her mother. This 
double loss brought her to great sorrow. She sold 
her beautiful home with many of its rich furnishings 
and moved into a very modest apartment. 

At about this time Juliette met R.ene Chateau- 
briand; she met him one morning in the rooms of 
Madame de Stael. 



The Life of Juliette Recamier 39 

When Chateaubriand met her he was thirty-two 
years of age. He was in the flower of his strength 
and he was famed for his sHght figure and for his 
high, narrow shoulders. 

But his spare figure and high shoulders were for- 
gotten because of his beautifully shaped head. It 
was superb; especially fascinating was the high fore- 
head, his dark wavy hair and his eyes, which had 
that drab color of the sea on a stormy day. 

He was at his best when his thin sensitive lips 
were brightened by a smile; then his charm was irre- 
sistible, for as Count Mole said: "There are only 
three men who can smile in this manner: Bonaparte, 
Chateaubriand and myself." 

It was in his silent room, so intimate and still, so 
mysterious in its lighting with a single lamp or two 
at best, that Chateaubriand received the best people 
of Paris, as though he were entertaining in the fashion 
of the Hotel de Montmorin. As a tribute to his hos- 
pitality he usually offered his guests a glass of sugar 
water or orangeade. It was Monsieur de Fontanes in 
the spring of 1800 who made him acquainted with 
the social and intellectual elite of Paris. 

Without waiting to finish his first work, Chateau- 
briand, impatient to start the struggle for fame and 
success, set out to break his first lance. He hoped 
to become the literary rival of Germaine de Stael, 
who was admired for her clever brilliancy. His 
method of becoming her rival was to visit her a great 
many times — both at her salons and when she was alone. 

One morning he was seated in her boudoir, engrossed 
in discussing his new book, Attala, and gazing in her 



4© The Life of Juliette Recamier 

brilliant eyes. Glancing up he noticed a small fair 
face and a timid smile of a friendly looking young 
woman, with a very white skin and soft chestnut 
curls that fell softly over her low brow. 

"This is my lovely friend Juliette Recamier, of 
whom Paris speaks so much and so kindly, these 
days," said Madame de Stael. 

Chateaubriand accepted the introduction, that was 
all. Edouard Herriot describes the meeting of this 
man and woman, who were to have so much influence 
on each other's lives, thus: "Chateaubriand says, *I 
was at Madame de Stael's one morning when she 
received me in her private apartment. Her maid 
was dressing her hair and during the time she talked 
brilliantly, rolling about in her fingers a little branch 
of green. All at once Madame Recamier, wearing a 
simple white dress, entered. She sat on a blue sofa. 
Madame de Stael who was standing continued her 
conversation which was extremely animated. She 
spoke with eloquence, but I scarcely made reply, as 
my eyes were fixed on Madame Recamier. In short 
I had not heard one word that Germaine had said 
after the fair Juliette entered the room. Madame 
Recamier went away shortly and I never saw her 
until twelve years later." This was when they met 
at the deathbed of Mme. de Stael. 

At this time Chateaubriand was absorbed in his 
work on Attala. This story of primitive American 
life interested the French people greatly, for they had 
played a part in the American revolution and were 
glad to get vivid descriptions of the new country 
such as Chateaubriand wrote after his visit there. 



The Life of Juliette Recamier 41 

The following words give the tone of the book: 

'^Sitting in the shades of the American forests I 
will sing those airs of solitude, never before heard by 
mortal ears. I will sing of your misfortunes at Nat- 
chez, of Louisiana, of which only remembrance re- 
mains. 

"Have the misfortunes of obscure inhabitants of the 
woods, less right to our tears than those of other men? 

"And are the mausoleums of kings in our temples 
more touching than the tombs of the Indian resting 
under the oaks of his country? And your flame of 
meditation, stars of the night be to me as a star of 
Pindus. 

"March before my steps across the unknown regions 
of a new world, so that I may discover by your light 
the hidden secrets of these deserts." 

Chateaubriand, accompanied by his guide, had gone 
up the course of the Meshaube, his bark floating at the 
feet of three hills which hid from view the beauty of 
the country that belongs to the children of the sun. 

He disembarks, climbs the side of the embankment 
and reaches the highest of the three summits. 

The great village of Natchez can be seen in the 
distance on a plain filled with sassafras. Here and 
there wandered the squaws, as light as the deer with 
which they play. On their left arms they carry bas- 
kets suspended by long strips of bark. They gather 
wild strawberries, the juice of which stains their fingers 
and the grass at their feet. Rene descended from the 
hill and went towards a village. 

The women stopped at a distance to watch this un- 
known white man. Then they fled toward the woods 



42 The Life of Juliette Recamier 

just like to doves that look at the hunter from a high 
rock and then flee at his nearer approach. 

The travelers arrive at the first huts of the great 
village. They present themselves at the entrance of 
one of the wigwams. There a family is seated on 
straw mats; the men are smoking the calumets, the 
women are weaving. 

Watermelons, pumpkins and May apples are dry- 
ing on leaves and vines. The hollow of a bamboo 
serves as a drinking cup. 

The travelers stopped at the doorway and Chateau- 
briand said: "We have come," and the chief of the 
tribe answered: "You have come. It is well." After 
which the visitors seated themselves on the mats and 
partook of the cooked meat without speaking. When 
this was done, one of the interpreters raised his voice 
and said: "Where is the sun?" 

The chief answers, "Absent," and the silence falls 
once more. A young girl appears at the entrance of 
the wigwam. Her form is fine and graceful, resem- 
bling both the elegance of a palm and the imagination 
of a lovely dream. Her graceful movements are free 
and almost divine. 

The Indians, to show the sadness and beauty of 
Celusta, said that she had the look of night and the 
smile of Aurora. 

She was not yet an unfortunate woman, but des- 
tined to be one in the near future. One might have 
held this beautiful creature in one's arms, if one did 
not fear the heartbeat of one already consecrated to 
the sufferings of life. 

Celusta comes from the wigwam, blushing, passes 



The Life of Juliette Recamier 43 

before the strangers and whispers something in the 
ear of an old woman. 

Then she retires. 

Her white robe, made of the bark of a mulberry 
tree, floats gracefully and her bare rosy feet are seen 
at every step she takes. 

The atmosphere was perfumed with the scent of the 
magnolia she left behind her. She looked much like 
Hero at the feast of Abydos. Such as Venus pre- 
sented herself in the forest of Carthage by her walk 
and her ambrosial perfume that was given off from 
her tresses. 

In the meanwhile the guides had finished their 
feast, and had risen saying: **Now let us go," and the 
chief made answer: "Go where your spirit directs." 
And they left, the chief not questioning the guides as 
to who this person was that heaven had entrusted 
to their keeping. 

This story of early American life appeared in 1801 
and met with surprise and enthusiasm. The French 
found much that was new and original in the romance 
of America. Everybody read Rene's book, and most of 
the opinions expressed were most flattering. 

Occasionally there was a bit of adverse criticism 
that took the form of epigrams and witticisms. 

Before Chateaubriand realized what was taking 
place he was being presented to Madame Bacchiocci, 
then to the other sisters, and Lucien, their brother, 
introduced him to the consul Napoleon. 

Then, followed his work on the Genius of Chris- 
tianity and perhaps the best known of these chapters 
is the Nature of Mystery. 



44 The Life of Juliette Recamier 

He says there Is nothing beautiful, sweet and great 
in life, except those things that are mysterious. The 
most marvelous sentiments are those that agitate 
and confuse us a little — and shame true love. Sincere 
friendships are full of hidden secrets. 

You might say that hearts that love, understand 
without being obliged to reveal themselves to each 
other. 

Innocence In its turn which is only a holy Ignorance 
Is the most charming of mysteries. 

A child Is happy because he knows nothing. An 
old man is miserable because he knows everything, 
very fortunately for him, when the mysteries of life 
and those of death commence. 

If it Is thus with the feelings, It is thus with the vir- 
tues. The most holy are those which come directly 
from God, such as charity, and shrink from being 
looked at. 

Germalne de Stael was antagonistic to the kind of 
writing Rene de Chateaubriand was doing and she 
went out of her way to ridicule his chapter ''Examen 
de la virglnlte sous ses rapports poetiques." 

She felt confident that with such writings as this 
his book was doomed to failure. 

She thought that Chateaubriand should be using his 
genius attacking Napoleon Instead of flattering him, 
for she wanted Chateaubriand to remember that on 
the twentieth of February, 1802, he had eliminated 
twenty members from the Tribunal and Benjamin 
Constant among the others. 

Chateaubriand went out of his way to oppose her in 
his Attala and other essays. She threw him and Napo- 



The Life of Juliette Recamier 45 

leon her gauntlet by publishing her book ''Literature 
considered in its relations with social institutions." 

This challenge on her part of the de Stael explains 
why the great philosopher visited her salon less fre- 
quently and why the lasting friendship between 
Juliette and him did not begin until twelve years later. 




Chapter IV 

Letters 

'BOUT this time, Juliette made a visit to 
England. 

She was introduced at once to the 
Duchess of Devonshire, a woman known 
for her great beauty. The duchess saw 
to it that Juliette made the acquaintance of Elizabeth 
Forster. 

Such men as the Prince of Wales, the due d'Orleans 
and the prince de Montpensier vied with each other 
to entertain her and to enjoy her company. 

She was invited to theatres and to the opera and 
wherever she went the staring of the people annoyed 
her greatly. 

One Sunday morning she appeared in Kensington 
Gardens. According to a fashion of the moment she 
wore a hat trimmed with a lace veil, and a long soft 
wrap that fell to her feet. 

A crowd surrounded her, so dense that she was 
almost smothered. The triumph of this London visit 
is proven in this extract from a letter written by her 
friend Germaine. 

"Dear Juliette, you remember well, a person who 
took a real interest in you, and who hopes to renew 
that friendship another winter. How do you govern 
your realm of beauty? 

**Your Empire appeals to me, because you are so 
good, and natural, and such a dear nature, and that 
your sweetness is seen in your every expression. Of 

47 



48 The Life of Juliette Recamier 

your many admirers I love Adrien Montmorency the 
best. I have received remarkable letters expressing 
his spirit and his grace, and I believe in the genuine- 
ness of his affections notwithstanding the charm of his 
manner. 

"For the rest, his word of solidity comes to me with 
such force that I feel that I do not play a second role 
in his heart. But you are the heroine of all his senti- 
ments, heroine of all his tragedies and romances. 

"My romance of Delphine will take place at the foot 
of the Alps. It will appear in 1802 and I hope you will 
read it with interest. I get much pleasure from my 
work. In speaking of your admirers I do not speak of 
M. de Narbonne; it seems to me if he classes himself 
among your friends I should rather have none. * * * " 

And another letter: "Dear Juliette, I left you suf- 
fering and I am anxious about your health. I hope 
that you will send me some news by my messenger. 
As soon as I am free to see you, I shall go to England 
but I trust that my visit will not bore you. 

"The doubt you had of me in the last visit, created 
in me a certain defiance. But this doubt no longer 
remains, though I did not pardon you for a long time. 
Now I am sure to interest you because I have mentioned 
the coming visit to Adrien. You will hear my demur 
from Fox, for he has asked many questions about you. 

"Here are the papers of the hospice which I have 
sent with care, and I hope that you will not overlook 
the little girls and the charming prophecy so worthy 
of your large heart. What has happened to the lovely 
Aline and to the Portuguese Romance? Tell him some- 
thing charming from me. * * * " 



The Life of Juliette Recamier 49 

One of the leading critics of the time says: 

"Nothing could be more touching than the attach- 
ment that existed between Madame de Stael and 
Madame Recamier. Different as those two women 
were, they had many points in common. 

Madame Recamier was tenderly devoted to her 
mother and Madame de Stael was likewise passionately 
attached to her father. The quickness of the one in 
expressing new ideas was as great as the other's ability 
in grasping them. Germaine's masculine and strong 
mind discovered all things and Juliette's delicate and 
refined mind understood them all. 

This formed a union which is impossible to paint 
without having been a witness to the association. 

Time and again Juliette promised to visit Germalne 
who had been exiled by Napoleon to Coppet, on the 
lake of Geneva. 

Her house there was an unpretentious brick and 
stone structure, overlooking the lovely waters of the 
lake. 

Cold and unattractive though it was without, it was 
richly furnished. The walls were hung with handsome 
tapestries, there were bright satin hangings, while the 
carved furniture was also richly upholstered. On the 
marble topped tables were placed busts of Juliette, of 
Germaine's son, August de Stael, and the walls were 
adorned with paintings of herself as Corinne and in 
other classic poses. 

The book cases in the library and studio were filled 
with rare editions of her own works and of many well 
known writers of the time. 

The autumn of 1807 had been brilliant and animated 



50 The Life of Juliette Recamier 

at Coppet. Among the many guests who were invited 
to the castle were M. de Montmorency, Eleazar Sab- 
ran, Benjamin Constant and Madame Recamier. 

It was the first time she had gone to Switzerland 
but not the first time she had left Paris to see her 
friend in exile. 

Juliette was delighted by the new surroundings: the 
beauty of the long lake, edged by the Alps appealed 
to her. Besides her own galaxy of French admirers 
she met there the German poet Werner, many bril- 
liant and fascinating Italians, among them the mar- 
quis de Palmette, Charles de la Bedoyere and Pedro 
de Souza. 

Sainte Beuve compared Germaine de Stael's Cop- 
pet with Voltaire's Ferney. 

He said: ''There were philosophical and general 
feelings mixed with enthusiasms, and suicide and 
divorce had representatives there as well as duty and 
virtue." 

But there were many others who come ostensibly 
to visit Germaine de Stael. Most of these guests 
were fascinated for the moment by the brilliancy and 
cleverness of their hostess but they gave their hearts 
to Juliette Recamier. 

While she was there Madame Lebrun the painter 
came to pay homage to her beauty. Among the 
others were M. de Sismondi the historian, M. de Ba- 
rante the writer, Eleazar de Sabran and count de Golof- 
kin, a Russian. 

It was here at that time she met Prince Augustus 
of Prussia, the son of Prince Ferdinand, and nephew 
of the Great Frederic. He was made prisoner at the 



The Life of Juliette Recamier 51 

battle of Saalfield while his brother Louis was killed 
in the same engagement. 

Madame de Genlis who wrote a book on the inter- 
esting meeting of the prince and Juliette speaks of the 
meeting of Athenais, as she had named Juliette, with 
royalty. 

There was a custom at Coppet that the guests should 
write little notes to each other every day. Madame 
Recamier received many letters but only answered 
those of Madame de Stael. 

The others she answered with a smile or a few words 
when meeting them the next day. Prince Augustus 
being made a prisoner on the eighth of February, 1807, 
after his release went first to Italy and then to Coppet. 

Germaine had invited him to her chateau chiefly 
because she wanted to make a match between the 
prince and Juliette, her best friend. 

He came at Madame de Stael's bidding and was soon 
infatuated by Juliette's charm and beauty, as had 
been dozens and dozens of suitors before him. 

Madame de Genlis speaks of Juliette Recamier in 
the following manner: "The prince entered the salon 
with Madame de Stael. Suddenly another door 
opened and Athenais appeared. The grace of her 
figure and the charm of her beauty astonished him. 
He had expected to find a woman famous for her 
beauty, proud of her successes and with a confidence 
which one often finds in famous women. 

"But instead of that he met a shy, young matron 
who blushed at the slightest provocation." 

Prince Augustus was noticeable for his height, his 
heavy features, and golden hair which framed a good- 



52 The Life of Juliette Recamier 

looking but rather effeminate face, made more so by 
an ever present smile. 

His pale blue eyes were fixed with attention on the 
warm brown orbs and beige tresses of Juliette Re- 
camier. After dinner they did not go out of doors on 
account of the great heat. 

They went in the gallery of the chateau where the 
prince was entertained by Juliette, who played the 
harp and sang songs. This strong, good-looking 
chap of twenty-seven was captivated by her loveli- 
ness and her youth. 

Another writer says: "Juliette Recamier kept to 
the end of her days her childish laugh and jesting 
manner; and she had a habit of putting her kerchief 
to her lips with a certain triumphant way. 

"But in her early years this expression of childish 
caprice mixed with a gracious manner often brought 
her into serious complications. All these men who 
were attracted by her were not so easily gotten rid of; for 
instance Prince Augustus and Mathieu Montmorency. 

"She had about her certain intrigues, many vio- 
lences and revolts in her attractive hands over which 
she triumphed easily. 

"Impudent in her innocence I have heard her say 
that she loved peril for others and for herself. With 
this hazardous and cruel desire she concerned herself 
greatly. She was good and had a tender heart. Though 
she created pain without wishing to, not only the men 
revolted against this coquetry, but women who were 
her rivals, felt wounded. 

"There was a serious side to her nature and a char- 
ity which was hard for many to understand." 



The Life of Juliette Recamier 5;^ 

"She always had money for those in need. Like- 
wise she had time for those who wished her counsel. 
This was the feeling she inculcated in the minds of 
La Harpe, Le Montey, the Montmorencies, Constant, 
Ballanche, the Amperes, the Prince Augustus and 
finally Chateaubriand." 

The same writer adds: "With her natural instinct 
of purity and of real beauty, she felt kindly herself. 
Besides she was so admired and adored that one can- 
not forget her youth, neither her sunny mornings nor 
the day dreams with which she embellished them. 

"Her childhke face with its shy expression, invari- 
ably looked away rather than towards the speaker 
and this habit caused the prince to remark to Ger- 
maine: 'You know what she is to the world but you 
do not know what she is to me. In any other time 
she would have been the charm of my life, but here, 
she is life itself. Here I enjoy all her soul, one of the 
purest which has been created. I enjoy her high and 
simple mind which is so firm and graceful, so refined 
and natural. Ever occupied with her friend's suc- 
cesses, she has no pretensions and yet might have 
them all.' " 

The prince wasted no time in making his confession 
of love to Juliette. 

This proud woman blushed and her heart beat quickly 
with pride. But she explained that though she was 
flattered by the prince's confession, she must say 
"No." It must be friendship and nothing more. 
"My religion opposes divorce especially with the idea 
of remarriage," she explained. 

To this the prince answered "Yes, but as your friend 



54 The Life of Juliette Recamier 

Germaine de Stael says, — your husband is one in name 
only." 

Juliette thought for an instant and queried: "But 
suppose I should obtain a divorce? I feel sure that 
your uncle Frederic the Great, would object to a 
prince of royal blood marrying a mere Frenchwoman." 

Prince Augustus bowed low and with his most 
gracious smile replied: "Remember that your beauty, 
modesty and charm, would overcome any prejudice 
that my uncle might have. To show you that I am 
sincere in what I have said, allow me to prove it to 
you. 

Taking a penknife from a pocket, he suddenly cut a 
small vein in his wrist, and dipped a pen in the blood. 
Seizing a bit of paper from a nearby desk, he wrote 
these words: "I swear by my honor and by my love 
to conserve in all its purity the sentiment which I 
attach to Juliette Recamier; to keep the sentiment, to 
concern myself with all the affairs that will make this 
marriage possible and not to interest myself in any 
other woman, while I have the hope of uniting myself 
with her." 

When the fact became generally known that the 
prince was laying siege to Juliette's heart, Benjamin 
Constant felt piqued for he had been in love with her 
for years, though she never had yielded to his words 
of praise. 

With little imagination one can fancy him saying: 

"Time counts for little when I have a rival as subtle 
as a German prince. Yes, very subtle. Do you remem- 
ber, Juliette, how clever he was when riding horse- 
back with us yesterday? The prince said to me:*M. de 



The Life of Juliette Recamier ^^ 

Constant, suppose you take a little gallop ahead?' 
Juliette laughed lightly and the woebegone lover con- 
tinued: ''I was obliged, naturally, to ride ahead, but I 
understood thoroughly what the prince meant and 
desired." 

Before the prince left the chateau he had Juliette's 
promise to write often, a promise that Juliette sealed 
by the gift of some beautiful flowers. 

The prince in turn gave to her a gold bracelet, 
attached to a chain, which contained a heart made of 
a priceless ruby. Juliette had already written to her 
husband and told him that the prince had asked her 
hand in marriage, if she were free, and asked Recamier 
to release her from her wedded vows. 

The answer came that if she so wished it, he would 
grant her request, provided that the divorce should be 
granted somewhere outside of Paris. 

"But," he wrote, *T still love you as much, yes, 
even more than I did the day I took you, a young 
beautiful girl, to the Hotel de Ville." 

In the meantime Prince Augustus was sending her 
passionate love letters. Two of a number of these 
letters are published by Edouard Herriot in a work 
on Madame Recamier and Her Friends, and they 
were copied from the unpublished archives of M. de 
Lomenie. 

On the sixth of November, 1807, the prince addressed 
the following letter to her: *T write to you, my dear 
Juliette, from a little town, two days distant from 
where I shall be located for some time. I experienced 
some sad feelings when I went through that country 
where I lost a dear brother. Since his body was 



56 The Life of Juliette Recamier 

embalmed I was in hopes that I might recognize him, 
but unfortunately that was not the case. I heard of 
the brave way in which he lost his heroic life, which 
was oh, so much more than his death. It is only when 
I think of you, my dear, that I can soften the sadness 
by which I am held. The pleasure I had in meeting 
my parents, my children and my friends shall be 
mixed with unpleasant remembrances. The hope that 
I shall still be useful to my country, this alone, makes 
these feelings bearable. 

"It is now very late and someone is waiting to for- 
ward this letter for me. Goodbye, Augustus." 

Madame Recamier answered this letter by reassur- 
ing the prince that she would keep her promise. 

She tried to let him know that she had scruples 
concerning her husband's reply to her letter. That in 
spite of his present misfortune, he looked for good 
fortune ahead. 

On the 14th of November Augustus wrote to Juli- 
ette the following letter: "I had, dear Juliette, the 
inexpressible joy that seldom comes, by receiving your 
letter. You have calmed my fears which were strong 
until I received your dear words. I see no change to 
your faithful promise. But I fear for the obstacles 
over which we have no control. 

"It is impossible for me to paint for you the joy 
my return has brought to my parents and to my friends. 
My father and mother felt that they would never see 
me again. Unfortunately, we have not seen the last 
of the evils, and that makes me worry for our very 
existence. I have announced my homecoming to my 
cousins and I am awaiting their letters. 



The Life of Juliette Recamier 57 

"Your tender fears for M. Recamier have amused 
me much and the results have given me hope for the 
future. It is my good fortune that he does not know 
how to appreciate you and that I have profited by the 
happiness that he might have had. 

"If you are necessary to his happiness how could 
he amuse himself in your absence? I swear to you 
dear Juliette that I can no longer be happy without 
you, and I am waiting with impatience the moment 
when I shall have the good fortune of seeing you 
again. Do not forget the portrait which you promised 
me. I have already given orders to have a portrait 
painter found to do mine for you. Goodbye dear love, 
give me more news of yourself, shortly, for this is my 
only consolation, when I am away from you." 




Chapter V 

The Intrusion of Sorrow 

jITTLE by little Juliette Recamier realized 
that there were many obstacles between 
the prince and herself, and her letters 
grew less frequent. 

Especially she realized the obstacles 
that stood in his way; securing a divorce from his 
present wife, placating his uncle Frederic and these 
dreads now filled her with fear. 

Many of her friends censured her for this serious 
and dangerous flirtation. 

Camille Jordan was among this number. On the 
other hand Germaine de Stael was equally emphatic 
in the prince's favor. She argued with Juliette that 
she would be better off at the German court than con- 
stantly living in danger of being served with a letter 
of cachet by Napoleon. 

Juliette tried to forget these pangs of remorse that 
shook her very nature during those last days at Cop- 
pet by entering into some of the dancing parties and 
theatricals that were given there. 

Speaking of her beautiful dancing, Morand, the 
famous teacher, in his Souvenir de Geneva writes: 
*'During the year that I had the pleasure of vegetating 
there, I should have been dead of ennui a hundred 
times, if I had not had the joy of dancing with one of 
your compatriots, a woman whose memory shall al- 
ways remain with me. 

"A woman who embodied the grace, the ease, the 

59 



6o The Life of Juliette Recamier 

subtlety and the charm of Terpsichorean Art." And 
he continued: 

"Without doubt you remember this admirable 
creature. Who has not heard of the beautiful Juliette 
Recamier and who has not admired her lovely pictures? 

"One day when I had the honor of finding myself 
at Coppet, Madame de Stael was anxiously awaiting, 
to see Juliette dance the gavotte and she implored me 
to be her partner. Ah Monsieur, what an adorable 
creature, what abandon, what freedom in all her 
movements. It is enough to make one lose his head. 

"Also I surpassed myself. I could not have danced 
better. Madame de Stael carried away with enthu- 
siasm, embarrassed her friend and cried: 'Bravo, Mo- 
rand.' A bravo from Germaine de Stael, monsieur, was 
a great balm for me. 

"It meant more to me than any of the applause at 
the Paris Opera. Oh, it was a beautiful joy. The 
most beautiful in my life, perhaps. A real antidote 
against the ungrateful lessons which I had to give to 
those men and women whose joints were more fash- 
ioned for bending than for dancing." 

Juliette also had considerable dramatic talent and 
her acting was always admired. 

The big theatrical success of the season was "Thera- 
mene," a drama in which an old man was conspicu- 
ously figured. 

The part was played by M. Prangins, whose figure 
was colossal and in the play he looked like a demi- 
god. But the spectators were delighted with the 
part of Ancie, which was portrayed by Juliette Re- 
camier. 



The Life of Juliette Recamier 6i 

Her friends said that it was a triumph of art over 
nature, for she put into the part the sweetness, the 
simplicity, the modesty and seduction that were re- 
quired and a certain melancholy. 

Madame de Stael played the role of Phedre, because 
it gave her an opportunity to play herself. 

The chateau of Coppet was soon emptied of its bril- 
liant guests. Germaine had planned a second trip to 
Germany and Austria. She took with her M. Schle- 
gel, a tutor to her children. Benjamin Constant 
stayed behind for he had just completed his Wallen- 
stein. 

Juliette returned to Paris and her husband pleaded 
so hard, that she finally wrote to Prince Augustus ex- 
plaining that she appreciated his profound respect 
and admiration, but wished to be released from her 
promise. 

During this year of separation Germaine and Juli- 
ette wrote to each other frequently, and the letters 
from Germaine were counted among her most brilliant 
achievements. 

On the twentieth of December Germaine wrote 
from Munich: *T have passed five days here and I 
leave Vienna in an hour. Now I am thirty leagues 
further away from all that is dear to me. My heart 
is in Italy but society here has been delightful and 
all have spoken of you, my beautiful friend, with ad- 
miration. 

"You have a wonderful reputation. The bracelet 
you gave to me caused the men to kiss my hands very 
often, and I received a great amount of homage. I 
no longer like Munich. It petrifies me." 



62 The Life of Juliette Recamier 

At no time in her life was Juliette more stricken 
than when she returned to Paris in 1807. 

The grief because of her mother's death was still 
keen. The loss of her husband's fortune meant that 
she must sell her lovely home and furniture and prac- 
tice the strictest economy. She was still fond of Prince 
Augustus and would have waited until all obstacles 
had been brushed away, had it not been that her 
sense of duty controlled her actions. 

Rochefoucauld, discussing Madame Recamier, says 
that she was a grand and spiritual woman; amiable 
at all times. Yet, always a coquette, conquering and 
prudent, unsatiable in her thirst for homage and 
adoration, consummate in the art of distributing her 
grace and friendship and placing her vanity on guard, 
for conquests as well as to be conquered. 

He adds that she was much more beloved than lov- 
ing, because she never really gave herself up to any- 
one, and conserved at all times, because she would 
not fling herself away. True queen of the salon, in 
her little room at the Abbaye aux Bois, as well as in 
her former beautiful home in the Chaussee d'Antin, 
ever a charming hostess, but much more than that — 
a good wife and a good mother to her adopted child, 
a fine friend to her many would-be lovers. 

Isolated in the midst of her adorers, worshiped 
by loyal friends, by devoted servants — she was too 
amiable with everyone to be always sincere. 

Exhausted at times by the Empire in which she 
ruled, but always contented to receive homage, she 
was in harmony with nature and what it held for her. 

Juliette's constitution then as later, was strong and 



The Life of Juliette Recamier 6^ 

healthy, except for twinges of rheumatism from which 
she had suffered ever since girlhood. Because of this 
malady she was constantly looking for fresh air, ex- 
ercise and solitude. 

Time and again she told her friends: "Blessed be 
the independence of my soul. Traveling tires me but 
I love it because of the independence it gives, as I am 
inclined to country life, since it gives me solitude. 

"Solitude pleases me, but at times I even am wearied 
by this very desire for solitude. I have inherited this 
one illness which I must carry through life." 




Chapter VI 

A Summer at Coppet 

'HOUGH Germaine de Stael was now in 
exile in Switzerland, never was her salon 
more brilliant than at Coppet. 

Most of the savants went to Coppet 
to enjoy the surroundings and to listen 
to literary and political discussions and even her 
women friends enjoyed the lovely country and the 
atmosphere created by the great writers and phil- 
osophers of the time. 

Alexander Adryne, a writer, after visiting this unique 
estate on Lake Geneva, writes: "Alas, I turn my eyes 
to recall Coppet, where Madame de Stael made a 
reputation so celebrated by the halo of her glory; an 
astonishing woman who attracts, seduces you, en- 
livens you, makes you have faith in the destiny of 
man by showing you what is good and worth while. 
A heart which loves the true, the beautiful and in- 
spires you. 

"To characterize her work, to specify the quality 
of her genius, one must compose a word, and this 
word is 'Heart.' Mentality, that is to say an associa- 
tion of the sensibility and the subtlety of enthusi- 
asm of reason — of poetry and of analysis. 

"It is not that she degrades the human species. 

"Her history if she finds time to write one, will not 
be a pleading and philippic against the human race, 
but a lesson for those who wish to study it. 

"In reading it I am proud to understand, proud 

6s 



66 The Life of Juliette Recamier 

to feel even to the last intricacy of thought, the judg- 
ments, the elated poetry of a soul which is alone and 
shall remain alone as a brilliant illustration that God 
does not exclude from his world the intellectuals, but 
gives them an opportunity to sing of the glory of his 
creation. 

**We reached the chateau and asked permission to 
see her when I suddenly recalled the real purpose of 
my visit was to see the illustrious Morand, teacher 
of dancing, to whom I had promised to pay my respects. 

"In a few minutes Madame de Stael appeared and 
soon we were chatting together. Nothing may be 
imagined more singular, more original than this place, 
the woodwork and panels being painted in five differ- 
ent colors." 

At this time Camllle Jordan did much to help 
Juliette Recamier when she was most perplexed. 
While a young man Camllle visited Germany and 
Switzerland with a friend called Degarando. 

Mathleu Montmorency, one of Juliette's most inti- 
mate friends, was with him. Then he made a tour of 
England and returned to France. During those early 
years of the nineteenth century he made the friend- 
ship of Juliette Recamier, Germalne de Stael and 
later on with Ballanche. 

Being at Coppet a part of the time when the Prince 
Augustus was there he was opposed to this flippant 
courtship, and she listened to his counsel. 

She was attracted to him, and she inspired him 
with a great esteem, and a true confidence. He di- 
vided this feeling with Mathieu de Montmorency, 
though in a less degree, but his friendship was more rigid. 



The Life of Juliette Recamier 67 

Few men had the same amount of great qualities 
and severer virtues which commanded the respect 
and the charms that went all through life. 

The turn of originality in his mind, his ardor, a 
certain naive candor even to the point of being a bit 
provincial added to his charm. 

The following Is only one of many charming letters 
that Camille Jordan wrote to her during these years: 

"I understand how much suffering you have gone 
through. Though I have not seen you in a long time 
I appreciate how much you have suffered and through 
your other misfortunes, how much emptiness is left 
in your life. That has made your soul sombre. 

"With my sincere feelings I offer you consolation. 
You have many friends and they have the warmest 
feelings of sympathy for you. I hope that you will 
always put me among those friends who have made 
life sweet for you. 

"Remember me kindly to M. Recamier, to your 
cousin and to Madame de Catellan. You have not 
answered my last letters. Please give me some news 
of yourself through the latter lady. I hope that I 
shall hear that you are less sad than I thought and 
believe me, your warm friend, Camille Jordan." 

The high tide in Juliette's life was between 1808 
and 1 8 10, when a correspondence took place between 
Germaine de Stael and herself. Although Juliette 
had given up the Idea of accepting Prince Augustus' 
love she enjoyed receiving news of Austrian and German 
court life, as this letter from Madame de Stael shows: 

*T think in tenderness, while writing you, of my 
little cell. In reading this letter your feeling is warmer 



68 The Life of Juliette Recamier 

for the ten years of acquaintanceship; an affection so 
sweet and pure that nothing can alter it and on which 
we can repose our entire future. But how sad it is 
that I write this to you two hundred leagues away, 
and am not able to dine with you and meet your 
family. 

"At least I hope that we all shall be united some 
day. You think of me who could be so happy and 
who is so far away and sad. Good-bye — good-bye. 
Be happy and remember your friend, Germaine." 

Writing from Coppet, Germaine says: 

"How much your amiable letter touched me, dear 
friend; how good of you to copy all the news and send 
it to me. The whole household here assembled to 
read them, and they run from room to room exclaim- 
ing: 'There is a letter from Juliette Recamier.' You 
have, during one moment, by your letter taken again 
that place and inspired that life and interest which 
you used to put in us, at the castle of Coppet, now so 
silent and serious. 

"I have made a sacrifice to prudence for you in 
giving up seeing you this year but next summer noth- 
ing shall hinder our meeting. 

"My theatre is a solitude. I do not have the cour- 
age to play Wallenstein. When you are not here I 
have little desire to take any pleasure. Therefore I 
work on my letters a great deal. Germaine." 

About this same time Juliette received the follow- 
ing letter: "Dear Juliette, my heart is beating with 
the pleasure of seeing you. Try to give me as much 
time as it is possible, for I am staying here for three 
months only and I have to speak to you of three years. 



The Life of Juliette Recamier 69 

"Invite those of your friends and of mine who do 
not fear solitude and exile. I wish that chance would 
lead M. Lemontey in those parts. I would give him 
my book to read. 

"Could not Talma give me a few days? I hope 
you will like it here but if I find again what made 
me so happy at Coppet, I trust that you will not 
become sad. Will you tell M. Adrien that I flatter 
myself with the idea of seeing him and that I apply 
to Mathieu to help me? 

"You must get to Ecure, Dept. of Loure and Cher, 
three leagues farther than Blois. This is also my 
address for letters, and there a little boat will bring 
you to the castle of Catherine of Medici who has 
done more evil than you. 

"Tell me the hour, so that I may meet you. It 
will take you about sixteen or seventeen hours and 
it will perhaps be best to stay a night at Orleans and 
come on here for dinner. It would be less tiresome 
for you. I press you to my heart." 

In the year 18 10 Madame Recamier went to take 
the waters at Aix en Savoie and then went to visit 
Germaine de Stael who had left Germany and taken 
up her residence at the chateau Chaumont sur Loire 
to superintend the editing of her work on Germany. 

The chateau which appeared in all its splendor was 
doubly interesting from a point of view of art. The 
Cardinal Amboise, Diana of Poitiers, Catherine de 
Medici had all been its guests. It was situated on 
the left bank of the Loire. The large Gothic towers 
gave a view of vastness to the place with moss and 
a high terrace. 



70 The Life of Juliette Recamier 

The court was filled with flowers for this was a 
most fertile part of France. Madame de Stael spent 
some days there in the company of Juliette, Mathieu 
de Montmorency, the two Barrantes and William 
Schlegel. 

Benjamin Constant who had been spending much 
of his time at Coppet took every opportunity to con- 
tinue his romantic correspondence with Juliette. From 
Coppet he addressed her in these words: "You wrote, 
madame, such an agreeable letter to Madame de 
Stael that without doubt she will promptly answer it. 
I have no pretext for writing to discuss the com- 
mission you gave me. I confess that I am writing to 
you for the pleasure it gives me, and to recall to you 
that if you have forgotten me it will mean great suf- 
fering. I have been here nearly eight days but Coppet 
seems to me to be a real desert without you. Mathieu 
alone is here and he expects to remain three weeks 
more. I do not know if M. de Sabran is expected. 

"There is to be a grand Swiss fete here next week. 
This will be a small souvenir of last year. Madame 
de Stael seems to be less happy about her separation 
from Paris than when you saw her last. I have not 
finished Wallenstein. Do you know if Prospere is 
in Paris? If he is, he could not be passing his life in 
any better way than in your company, and he is fortu- 
nate in having permission to consecrate himself. 

*T am resigned to let him play my part of confidant 
until my return to Paris. This role belongs to me and 
I hope you will not give it permanently to another. 
Good-bye, madame; believe me there is no person 
more constant than Constant." 




Chapter VII 

Juliette's Exile 

'NOTHER short glimpse of happiness 
came into Juliette's life while she was 
visiting her friend Germaine in the stately 
chateau at Chaumont sur Loire. A charm 
gushed into her young life as she sauntered 
through the lovely woods and picked flowers in the 
gardens during those warm, lazy summer months. 

Germaine was busy during the day examining the 
proof sheets of her three-volumed book on Germany, 
and giving them to some friends to read. Both women 
were so care-free that they felt that nothing could 
mar the joy of this isolated retreat. 
^They improvised concerts and frequently Juliette 
sang while Albertine de Stael accompanied her on the 
harp. As Germaine said: '*God wishes this to be 
the summer of summers." 

Auguste de Stael, Germaine's only son, had grown 
to manhood. 

This tall, well built young fellow with dark hair 
and eyes appreciated Juliette's beauty, ever increas- 
ing in spite of heartaches. By the twenty-third of 
September, the proofs were revised. Germaine had 
persuaded Juliette to return to Paris and present the 
manuscript to Esmenard, censor of the theatre and 
libraries, and chief of the third division of general 
police. 

On the twenty-sixth of September, Germaine went 
with Mathieu de Montmorency to the "vast plaines 

71 



72 The Life of Juliette Recamier 

of Vendomois." Toward midnight they heard strangers 
entering the chateau of Conan which belonged to 
Montmorency's family. The romance of the adven- 
ture, the originality of the escapade, made her for- 
get the police. 

The police entered the chateau with orders to seize 
all the manuscripts on Germany. M. Fortuny Gor- 
bigny was a gallant official. He awaited the return 
of Madame de Stael; her son Auguste arrived in time 
to save the scripts, but when Mathieu saw her, he 
found her weeping over the thought of being separated 
from her newly finished work. 

In the meanwhile Germaine had been in Paris es- 
corted by her son Auguste de Stael. She was using 
her most winning glances and charming smiles on the 
Duke of Rovigno and others. He answered that 
Madame de Stael had made a mistake in praising 
the Prussians. 

He told Auguste that his mother might stay where 
she was for seven or eight days longer, but no more. 
In the meantime Juliette was using her influence with 
Queen Hortense. Germaine sent to Juliette a letter 
which she had written to the Emperor and it was 
presented to him by Hortense. It ran as follows: 

"They have told your majesty that I miss Paris 
because of the Museums and because of Talma. This 
exile is surely an agreeable pastime though Cicero 
and Bolinbroke have said that it is unsupportable. 
But how much I love those masterpieces of art 
that France owes to your majesty. When I think of 
the tragedies, images of heroism, I realize that we 
owe them to you. 



The Life of Juliette Recamier 73 

"And if Heaven gave me Imagination, I must use 
it to enjoy these arts. So many people ask so many 
things of your majesty, why need I blush to ask for 
friendship, for poetry, for music, pictures — all that is 
ideal, which I owe to the monarch of France." 

Napoleon was touched by this letter, but he said: 

"I do not wish this woman back in France, and I 
have good reasons. If she were Republican or Royal- 
ist, it would make no difference to me; she is a ma- 
chine in movement that stirs salons." 

With this answer Juliette went back to Paris and 
Madame de Stael had her book seized and was ordered 
out of France. On the sixth of October, Germaine passed 
through Fosse, still in doubt whether she was bound 
for the United States or for England. 

Juliette knew before she was through with the 
police in Paris, that it was Napoleon who wished the 
book of her friend suppressed. He held that it was 
anti-French, dangerous to him and to the political 
life of the nation. It was in 18 10 that Juliette's friend 
of early childhood, William von Humboldt, who was 
indifferent in political affairs, took a hand In form- 
ing the higher education of Germany by the founding 
of the University of Berlin. 

Speaking of this and other literary German move- 
ments, Germaine de Stael wrote: "Nothing dominates 
this world but ideas." 

Juliette remained in Paris for a short time receiv- 
ing letters from Germaine. They were filled with 
doubt whether she would go abroad or remain In 
France. Juliette persuaded some of her friends to 
visit Coppet from time to time. She first commended 



74 The Life of Juliette Recamier 

Prospere to Germaine's care. Germaine was delighted 
with the short interview she had with him and thanked 
Juhette for her kindness, and begged her to use her 
influence also with Benjamin Constant. 

Juliette finally accomplished this and Germaine 
wrote to her: **No one can have any idea of what 
exile is. It is the hydra-headed monster as regards 
unhappiness." 

Juliette finally stopped all intercourse with Prince 
Augustus of Prussia. She was told that the prince 
was leading a most retired life, excepting during times 
of court presentations. 

Juliette was now determined to forget her romantic 
affair in her domestic life, looking after the personal 
wants of her husband and the household. About this 
time she adopted a young girl, a niece of Monsieur 
Recamier. She later in life became Madame Lenormant 
and has in her possession some of the most prized 
documents referring to Juliette Recamier and her friends. 

Madame Lenormant, writing of her aunt, says: 

"Suddenly my uncle took me by the hand and led 
me to the house where he lived with his wife at 32 Rue 
Blanc. I still remember that visit; she was robed in 
white, her hair was beautifully dressed and she was 
reclining on a lounge, placed near a hearth, close to 
her portrait by Gerard. 

"General Junot was seated near by. My uncle 
opened the door and as I entered Madame Recamier 
said: 'Here is the little one I have been waiting for!' 
To be exact I had been going to school for more 
than a year; to a religious school at Belley where they 
taught us to read — but I feigned that I could not read. 



The Life of Juliette Recamier 75 

"My aunt put a book in my hand and said: 'Please 
read that, for me.' I took the book and without any 
hesitation I tried to read a chapter dedicated to M. 
le Dauphin. My aunt laughed and said that she 
must teach me how to read properly." In the midst 
of extreme pressure and successes which forced them- 
selves on her, Madame Recamier, after her with- 
drawal from society, modified her regime with this child. 

At this same time the young Ampere came into her 
life; he was but eighteen and a half years of age. His 
admiration for Juliette is the story of a boy's first 
love affair with a woman considerably older than 
himself. He was attracted by her beauty and charm 
which he colored with his youthful imagination. 

Ampere's smooth face made him look extra boyish. 

His conversation was remarkable and his book 
knowledge was in great contrast with his absolute 
ignorance of worldly affairs. 

He had a delightful way of talking and had a won- 
derful smile and winning manner. 

Juliette responded to this young man's desire for 
her friendship, was attracted by his superior soul, 
and the generous enthusiasm of his aspirations. 

Because of these traits, he was admitted as a son 
and brother in the Recamier household. In the early 
part of 181 1 Germaine de Stael wrote to one of her 
friends telling them how unbearable her life with- 
out them was proving to be. 

Finally Mathieu de Montmorency took courage 
and started for Coppet to pay his respects to his lit- 
erary friend. On the 17th of August, 181 1, he re- 
ceived orders from the chief of police to remain at 



76 The Life of Juliette Recamier 

Geneva and not to re-enter Paris. He was allowed 
to go to Coppet or in any direction that would be 
forty leagues from the capital. 

In spite of this advice and warning to Mathieu, 
Juliette went to Coppet. She saw a heroic adven- 
ture in the trip, and went without telling her friends. 
She arrived a few days after Mathieu received his 
letter of exile. Mathieu hurried after her to warn 
her of her danger. 

Juliette stopped and rested in a little village. 

The two talked it all over and decided to go on to 
Coppet. 

Juliette felt that Mathieu had gone into exile for 
her sake. She hurried on to assure her aunt that she 
was all right; this aunt who had little love for her. 

When Mathieu learned that he had been exiled by 
Napoleon he was indignant because he felt that a cer- 
tain woman of the world had caused the order to be 
given. He insisted that Juliette return to France at once. 
But she found on returning to Paris that the order 
of exile was sent to Coppet, but having arrived some 
time after her departure from Chalons on the Marne. 

The police knew that she had left Coppet and sent 
the following notice to her husband: 

"Paris, 17th September, 181 1. 
"I beg you to tell me, monsieur, if you received the 
order which I sent to you on the third of this month? 
And if you can tell me the whereabouts of Madame 
Recamier, your wife? I have the honor of greeting 
you. The Consul of State, the Prefect of Police and 
Baron of the Empire." 




Chapter Fill 

Juliette in Rome 

'ULIETTE Recamier and her party arrived 
at Rome during passion week. We must 
not fancy the Rome of 1812 to have been 
what it was some twenty or thirty years 
later. Rome then, had no Pope, no cardi- 
nals, and it was not the capital of the Catholics. It 
was the head of the Department of the Tiber. 

The French troops then as now were masters of 
Rome. 

They reached Rome shortly before Christmas. 
Madame Recamier took rooms near the Place 
d'Espagne via Bambino, opposite the Greek church. 
Her niece and Ballanche lived with her. Jean Jacques 
Ampere spent his days there also. He lived an en- 
chanted life given over to his love and to the marvels 
of the town, which he was to see and explore so thor- 
oughly. 

Ballanche was much in the company of Juliette 
during those days. His soul drank in the beauty of 
Rome and the inspiration which she gave to him. 
He writes: 

"This evening seemed like a happy dream to me. I 
am delighted with it. I try to collect my ideas and 
happiness fills my soul and my mind. 

"I shall not see you whom I love so much, as there 
are many things to divide us; your old friends, your 
new friends and so many ties. Oh, if we were only 
alone. At least 'mid many obstacles I get a few 

77 



78 The Life of Juliette Recamier 

moments, a few hours of grief, of delight and of de- 
licious sadness. 

"A few of these moments shed charm and regret 
on my life. The more I know you the more I love 
you. My writings, my aims, my success, my troubles 
all belong to you. You inspire me, you console me, 
you raise me. I shall compose my poem Juliette 
because you like it, because it will be delightful to 
pronounce your name in my verses and paint under 
this name a pure soul which is tender and generous; 
and that beauty which is lost in your eyes, on your 
face, which sweetens your voice, which makes your 
smile more beautiful, which gives all charm to your 
manner. 

"You have asked me to give a word portrait of 
you. I have made it without noticing it." 

The Countess of Boigne, one of Juliette's best 
friends, after hearing that she had been served a 
letter of cachet, wrote to her: *'I was in hope that 
your fears were not well founded, as you are the most 
guiltless person. It is not because you are sweet, 
good and natural in finding the secret. You are never 
indifferent to the wants of others. 

"You know how I adore your character, your kind- 
ness, and I am only too glad to speak of them. It 
seems strange to praise the goodness of the sweetest 
woman in Europe. I am persuaded that if one can 
define that influence, you exercise more than others 
who are more brilliant, you exercise it with no less 
power. In this sad position you will find many friends." 

When Germaine heard of Juliette's exile she wrote 
the following letter: 



The Life of Juliette Recamier' 79 

**I cannot speak to you, I throw myself at your 
feet. In the name of Heaven have courage for your- 
self so that I can live. Ah, my God, I cannot think. 
Pull yourself out of this, that I may know that you 
are happy, that your splendid generosity may not be 
your undoing. 

"But I adore you. Believe it, and prove it to me in 
occupying yourself about your own welfare, because 
I shall have no rest if you are in exile. Good-bye — 
Good-bye, when shall I see you again? Not in this 
world. Germaine." 

Before going to Rome, Juliette spent some time in 
Lyons visiting friends and relatives. While she was 
there, helping the poor, in many ways helped to absorb 
her time and thoughts. 

But she found little comfort, for many of the peo- 
ple were Imperialists, grateful to Napoleon for hav- 
ing restored the city from ruins. 

After a short stay in Lyons she took her niece and 
a maid and went to Rome. She lived at Serni's place 
d'Espagne. 

But at the end of a few weeks she took a palace 
called the Fiano, and opened her salon to the French. 
Her friend, Camille Jordan, introduced her to a French 
writer, a brilliant young man named Ballanche. He 
was as timid as he was clever. A story is told that 
the first time he called on Juliette with his friend 
Camille, he took off his boots and left them before 
her door until he came out. 

His features were lively, sometimes little expres- 
sive, but his smile was full of grace and kindness. 
Deep as well as clever and sometimes original, M. 



8o The Life of Juliette Recamier 

Ballanche was a type of honor and social virtue. He 
impressed Juliette very much from the beginning 
because he believed in his own ideas, ideas that he 
had created for himself about religion and concern- 
ing poetry. 

It was only to her and to Camille Jordan that he 
spoke with frankness. Otherwise he kept his opinions 
to himself because they satisfied his mind and heart. 

From the beginning their friendship was genuine 
and sincere, and Ballanche looked upon her as every- 
thing that was good and pure. Juliette held the same 
kindly feeling for him. She accorded him great con- 
fidence and she held an important place in his life. 

Before she knew him many weeks she observed 
that his speech was eloquent and pure. When she 
complimented him he received the praise without 
pride and she loved to take his advice. Ballanche was 
the son of a printer. His face had been disfigured 
by an operation though it was by no means ugly. 

His eyes were very bright, large and intelligent. 

The lower part of his face was swollen on one side 
as if from toothache. His appearance was simple, 
perhaps a little uncouth, but there was a most re- 
markable benevolence in his countenance while his 
voice and manner gave an impression of being thor- 
oughly pleasant to all who had any discrimination. 

He never asked anything in return for his intense 
devotion; the pleasure of looking and listening was 
enough. The first time he called to see Juliette she 
noticed that his speech was slow, but all his ideas 
were refined, pure and noble and his taste was ex- 
quisite. 



The Life of Juliette Recamier 8i 

It was Juliette's mind and her spiritual nature that 
appealed to him. He was Ignorant of all foreign litera- 
ture except Italian and French, but he knew these 
two fluently. He made up his mind that Juliette 
must study Italian and help him at his writings. His 
friends always spoke of Juliette as his Beatrice since by 
his worship of her they recalled Dante's love for Beatrice. 

At this time the ceremonies of Passion Week were 
not performed in the Sistlne chapel, but in the chapel 
of St. Peter. The Pope was held a prisoner at Foun- 
tainbleau, and a mournful spirit seemed to hover 
about the whole city. The aversion to the French 
domination was noticeable in all ranks of society. 
The only house where French people assembled was 
at Madame Recamier's. 

Ballanche was the high-light to these visitors the 
short time he was there. A story was told that the 
night he arrived Juliette invited a small party of 
friends to see the coliseum. 

Noticing that Ballanche was bareheaded she en- 
treated him to put on his hat. He laughed and ex- 
plained that in his excitement, created by his pros- 
pective visit, he had left his hat behind. 

While there he read a part of his famous poem, 
called Antigone, which created such a stir, both In 
Paris and In Lyons. Before leaving Rome he wrote 
the beautiful Fragment which was later inserted in 
one of his books. Ballanche would have spent much 
more time in Rome but his father insisted on his re- 
turn to Lyons. He explained to his friends that his 
love for Juliette was of the purest kind, that which 
a brother would have for a sister. 



82 The Life of Juliette Recamier 

He knew that he developed in her presence like a 
withered plant which is favored by sunshine. From 
that time on, he was her all in all, and never asked 
one favor for his untiring devotion. 

In the meantime Constant was pouring out letter 
after letter full of love. Juliette inspired him to these 
words which he wrote in *'Adolphe": ^ 

"Charm of love, who could paint you? This idea 
that we have found, the being which nature created 
for us, this light spread on our lives, which seems to 
explain its mystery. 

"This foolish gayety mixed with unusual sadness. 
This forgetfulness of all vulgar things, this superiority 
of all things above us, this certainty that henceforth 
the world cannot reach us where we live. He who 
knows you can never describe you. Good-bye, Ben- 
jamin Constant." 

In 1 8 14 when the King of Prussia and Emperor of 
Austria took Paris after the defeats in Russia, peace 
and moderation seemed to be everywhere. The 
shops were opened, Russian soldiers six feet tall were 
driven across the roadways by the French. 

Going back to Paris Juliette took a comfortable 
house and welcomed her new friends as well as the 
old ones in the same warm-hearted manner she had 
when she dwelt in magnificence. 

Benjamin Constant continued his love making which 
she received with more indifference than ever. 

Speaking of Jean Ampere, Scherer says: "He has 
been all kinds of things, traveling professor, writer 
and poet. Few men have traveled so much and ob- 
served so much. We have seen him quite young, 



The Life of Juliette Recamier 83 

visiting Germany and the north of Europe. Italy- 
attracted him later on. 

"He saw Belgium, Holland, England, Spain and 
Greece occupied him for a long time. But Egypt 
and the United States and Mexico provided him with 
subjects for some great works. 

"As a scientific man Ampere has gone through 
everything. Languages, literature and history. He 
studied Scandinavian and basque hieroglyphics. 

"He made a special study of the origin of the lan- 
guage and literature of France. 

"He tried to make out the history of Rome from 
Romulus to Constantine. He wrote dramas and 
poetry." 

It was at this time of Juliette's supremacy, the 
moment when her mind and beauty of face were at 
their height, that Ballanche brought young Ampere 
to her salon. 

For a while he followed her about wherever he could 
and poured out his love with real passion. 

Ampere seems to have had two tendencies in his 
youth. One of pure poetry and the other of history. 
By the first he felt himself attracted to be one of the 
poets who were heard as with a new lyre about the 
year 18 19. By the other he was incited to be one of 
the historians who in the ten later years of the Restora- 
tion had found in foreign literature, larger views. 

Ampere threw himself in both directions with all 
the fire of youth. He was one of the first men in 
France who had traveled in other countries with the 
aim of study under all zones. He went to Weimar to 
talk with Goethe, to Scandinavia and to Italy, to 



84 The Life of Juliette Recamier 

meet with other great minds and to inform himself 
about the best. 

His method was to take things by their origin and 
to develop them in all their branches. 

One could fancy him an engineer, drawing a map 
of France. From the beginning his writings were 
full of his pure nature. Hilda was the title of his Gaul- 
Germanic novel. He drew in it a picture of pure 
Christian marriage where the husband and wife were 
no more than brother and sister; where the blushing 
bride was still a virgin. On the other hand, Juliette 
was inspiring Ballanche to his best writing. He wrote 
very little while in Paris without first showing it to 
her. Though he loved Juliette more every day he 
only asked for sympathy and friendship in return. 

One of his most brilliant writings was "Essai sur 
les Institutions Sociales dans leur rapport avec les 
Ideas Nouvelles." Finally his family called him back 
to Lyons in 181 5. 

On leaving he told Juliette: "I would give all 
I have in the world for twenty-four more hours in 
Paris." He did return some time later and enjoyed 
all the privileges of Juliette's salon. 

In the meantime Madame de Stael had married 
M. de Rocca, and Juliette hoped they would spend a 
great deal of time in Paris. But Germaine's husband's 
health failed and she took her daughter, engaged to 
the Duke de Broglie, and accompanied by M. Schlegel, 
they went to Italy. Later she returned to Coppet 
where her husband's health was most uncertain. 

The one joyous note in her life was the marriage 
of her daughter. As she says in the following letter: 



The Life of Juliette Recamier 85 

**Our marriage, dear Juliette, has come off well. After 
the ceremony no emotion in life can be compared to 
this, and what is better, to the impression that there 
is not one moment that I do not grow more attached 
to M. de Broglie. His conduct has been delicate 
and he is very true. His character is virtuous and I 
bless God and my father for having given me a friend 
for my daughter who is as worthy of esteem and feel- 
mg. 

Finally she returned to Paris to enjoy her friends 
and Juliette's salon, but her strength was rapidly 
failing. The following is one of many affectionate 
letters that Germaine wrote to Juliette during those 
trying days: 

"Tell me, dear Juliette, if you are well enough to 
accept my carriage at nine o'clock and come and 
spend a few hours with me. I am not strong enough 
to go to you. If you come, tell Mathieu that I am 
waiting for him at my home. I kiss you with all my 
heart. Germaine." 

Juliette spent much of her time with her friend, 
reading and offering those nice little attentions one 
woman can bestow on another. Juliette read to her 
passages from L'AUemagne, which was her favorite. 
This passage was especially appropriate at this time: 
"Poetry is of all arts the one which belongs most to 
reason. However, Poetry neither admits analysis 
nor explanation. 

"A man who would bring forth a new truth would 
write rather in a language which exactly and pre- 
cisely expresses thought. He would rather try to 
convince by reason than through the imagination. 



86 The Life of Juliette Recamier 

Poetry has been more often consecrated to praise than 
to censure despotic powers. 

"Art in general can sometimes contribute by its 
power to form subjects such as tyrants wish. Art 
can give letters to the mind by everyday pleasures. 
It brings man to the sensations and they inspire the 
soul with a philosophy which is voluptuous, with a 
reasonable carelessness, a love of the present, a for- 
getfulness of love favorable to tyranny. 

"Passions alone tie one strongly to life by the ardent 
wish of waiting the day of their fulfillment, but this 
life consecrated to pleasure amuses without capti- 
vating; it prepares an intoxication called sleep and 
death." 

Germaine de Stael's health continued to fail rapidly. 

For hours and hours at a time she would remain 
half-reclining in a large easy chair. About the 
mouth and chin the oval face was shrunken to half its 
size. The one time lambent eyes were quiet, al- 
most glassy in their repose. The expressionless look 
was in keeping with the purplish color of the full lips. 

Her cold hand was resting in Juliette's beautiful 
hand, whose questioning eyes were on her. She was 
there to satisfy every want of Germaine. Juliette's 
head was bowed in silent prayer and even her dying 
friend would not have been conscious of her fervor 
at this moment had she not dropped some tears on 
Germaine's cold hand. 

"Don't weep, my dear Juliette," said Germaine in a 
weak anxious voice. "I am not suffering, I am happy. 
See the sun pouring in the room; it tells you how 
sweet and calm I feel." 



The Life of Juliette Recamier 87 

She rested her tired head against the chair and 
there was no sign of the struggle going on as life 
flickered out, Hke a candle blown by a strong wind. 
Her full eyes opened wide and steadied themselves as 
they looked on Juliette's sad face. 

''Take my head in your warm arms. I feel cold," 
she said. 

Fright played over Juliette's features. Drawing a 
shawl from her own shoulders she placed it about 
Germaine. Brushing the dark disheveled hair from 
her high brow, she held her head in her arms with the 
loving care a mother bestows on a sick child. 

"Rest, Germaine, you are weary," she said. 

"I shall soon be taking the rest which is given to 
our poor tired souls when they are weary with the 
struggles of life," replied the sick woman. A smile 
played about her wan mouth. 

"Forgive me, dear, for any trouble I have caused 
you. I did not mean — " her lips continued to move 
but the words were lost to Juliette's straining ear. 

Nothing disturbed the silence of the sick room. 

A bronze clock was ticking off the time musically, 
on a mantel. But its soft regular beat sounded like 
a continued discord on Juliette's tired brain. 

'You will not have to watch with me much longer, 
dear Julie," came the faint words. "The lovely day- 
light is becoming less and less." 

She quieted for some minutes and then spoke again: 

"Kiss me, my dear; your pure kiss helps my tired soul." 

Juliette's feverish lips rested long and lovingly on 
the lips and the white damp cheeks. She was strug- 
gling to give a little of her own life to her dying friend. 



88 The Life of Juliette Recamier 

"Are we alone?" came the frightened voice of Ger- 
maine. **I thought I heard — a sound — from the 
further — " 

*'Rene is here with you today," came the quiet 
answer. 

"He has been here some time." 

"I want to see him. Tell him to come near me." 

Rene's large heavy figure moved slowly across the 
room fearing to break this awful silence. 

His face was twitching, his dark eyes blazed. He 
stood before her, took her slim hand and smothered 
it with kisses. 

*Ts it not good of God to send me to Heaven, with 
two dear friends praying for me? Juliette — Rene — " 
she gasped and her voice trailed away into nothingness. 

Thus passed out the famous Madame de Stael, who 
had been so vital a force. Passed out while two dear 
friends knelt beside her and prayed for her soul's 
salvation. 

Juliette loved Germaine, not so much for her bril- 
liant mind as for her good impulses. 

She, more than other friends, knew that Germaine 
held that the supreme law of life is justice. She 
opposed Napoleon because she held that he wished 
to establish a despotism formed on immorality. 

While this was going on she had the courage to 
proclaim the principles of liberty and of dignity, with- 
out which the human species can only be a horde of 
barbarians or a troupe of slaves. 

Her glory was her belief in an ideal and she made 
he self a priestess, willing to protect it at any cost, 
even exile. 



The Life of Juliette Recamier 89 

Later at St. Helena, Napoleon appreciated this 
fact, for he said of the famous woman, "Madame 
de Stael is a woman with a great talent and a big 
mind." 

Germaine saw Napoleon's downfall before it came. 

Later on she wrote to Louis XVIII: 

^'Everything will conform to your demands, sire. It 
is for you to command. In your name I hope you 
will always reign." 

In him she saw the generosity, the magnanimity, 
humanity and the justice and dignity of posterity. 

She could hardly wait for the coming of Waterloo 
with the appearance of the new king. 

Napoleon realized when it was too late that he 
could have made this wonderful woman an asset to 
his cause. 

She would have worked for him, written for him 
and perhaps adored him had he used any tact and 
shown a bit of the milk of human kindness. 

It was in 181 5, after Germaine de Stael's death, 
when Ballanche came to live with Juliette, that 
Chateaubriand, then in all the fever of his ambition 
and glory of power and love, began to play an important 
part in her life. 

He had met her some twelve years before this 
time. 




Chapter IX 

Reunion of Juliette and Chateaubriand 

'BOUT this time Chateaubriand who was 
in Rome came to some of Juliette's salons. 
He had only seen her once at the home of 
Germaine de Stael. But the impression she 
had made on him was enough for him 
to want to see her again. The way she looked to him 
is best depicted from a "Biographie de Madame 
Recamier" transcribed in an unpublished sketch of 
Juliette by Chateaubriand (who called her Leonie) 
and printed in Herriot's "Madame Recamier." He 
wrote, "Leonie is tall, her figure is charming. Leonie 
is beautiful. What makes her face so rarely beautiful 
is the oval line which one sees in Raphael's women 
alone. It expresses the sweetness, the delicacy and 
the kindness. The soul and the character of Leonie 
are noticeable for the same qualities of beauty. But 
the special feature about her personality is a piquant 
spirit and a romantic imagination, in contrast with 
her natural tranquil manner. At times her words are 
impassioned, while her face is timid and naive. One 
finds there a mixture of the virgin and the muse. 
One falls with love at her feet, and she holds you 
there, filled with respect." 

Chateaubriand was about middle height, a little 
bent. His face was pallid, and sickly looking. The 
blue eyes were often cold and half closed when he was 
resting but shone brightly when he was animated. 
This was in keeping with his large nose, and the 

91 



92 The Life of Juliette Recamier 

nostrils gave the expression of sensibility and of energy. 
His voice was flexible; it was modulated according to 
the feelings of his soul. 

His talent was written in his features. A smile of 
malice often played about his full lips, and his expres- 
sion alternated between enthusiasm, impatience and 
disgust. At times his smile was irresistible. 

To understand the big part he played in the life of 
Juliette Recamier later one must know much about 
Chateaubriand and his career. 

Frangois Rene was born in a Breton chateau, and 
was brought up by a stolid father, who was cold and 
uninteresting. Reared in the midst of these harsh 
surroundings, he found his chief comfort in life in the 
company of his brothers and sisters of whom he had 
many. He was especially attached to his fourth sister, 
Lucile, who was delicate and a dreamer. She fur- 
nished her youngest brother real companionship. His 
childhood was spent playing along the seashore. 

He finished his elementary studies first at the 
college of Dol, and then at Rennes. While finishing 
his studies he showed special aptitude for Latin and 
French literature and later for mathematics. At Brest 
he took the examination for Marine guard, though 
his mother hoped he would devote his life to the 
ministry. 

After the marriage of his two sisters to men of 
some distinction, he left for Brest. There he spent an 
unhappy and lonely life. Later he returned to his 
parents' home at Combourg. 

Chateaubriand's taste for literature was as marked 
as was his melancholy disposition. His soul was 



The Life of Juliette Recamier 93 

burning for adventure and romance and he found little 
of this in his own home, so he spent much time in the 
forest and along the shore, filling his soul with the 
romance it longed for most. If his parents and his 
brothers and sisters had little appreciation for his 
genius, his sister Lucile felt that he had a future and 
she listened to all he told her. Lucile adored her 
brother, and she told him time and again that he had 
great genius, and a bright future. 

But his daydreaming was broken by a call to mili- 
tary service, where he was to train for a position as 
army officer. His father broke the news to him in the 
following words: "My young cavalier, you must give 
up all this nonsense. Your brother has obtained a 
position for you, a commission as second under- 
lieutenant for a regiment at Navarre. I am old and 
sick. Here are a hundred louis: use them to best 
advantage. I shall not live a long time. Conduct 
yourself as a man should and never dishonor the 
family name." 

He embraced his son, kissed him time and again, 
his tears wetting the cheeks of the young man. Be- 
fore Frangois Rene left, his father gave him the family 
sword which had been used in a number of important 
engagements. 

In 1787 his oldest brother married the daughter of 
M. de Malesherbes, a scholarly man, who was well 
acquainted with the writer la Harpe, the poet le 
Brune, and with many other literary men of the time. 
This man of culture realized that young Chateau- 
briand was a youth of promise and did much to en- 
courage him to continue his studies and to write. 



94 The Life of Juliette Recamier 

He spent 1787-89 in Paris writing both prose 
and verse. Then he spent some time with his sister 
Lucile, who was failing in health in Brittany. The 
thing that stirred him most was the taking of the 
Bastile, for he was one of the witnesses of this per- 
formance. The irony and passion of this act stirred 
in him great passion for liberty, and he saw that the 
revolution was going to break. 

He was eager to see America for he had been in 
sympathy with the American revolution and Male- 
sherbes encouraged him to make a long visit to Amer- 
ica, seeing all the principal places from Behring Straits 
to Canada. He embarked at Saint Malo and obtained 
a letter of introduction to General Washington. He 
was granted an interview and General Washington 
invited him to take dinner with him. In 1822, writing 
of this incident, Chateaubriand says: *T am pleased that 
his gaze fell on me. I shall feel warmed by it all my life. 
There is a virtue in enjoying the glance of a great man." 

Realizing that this visit would only give him a peep 
into American life, he saw many of the big cities, and 
was impressed by the newness of the life and of the 
art, especially that done by the Indians. He finished 
with the Yankee and the Canadian in eight months' 
time, though in his book called Natchez he gives 
the impression that he had spent a lifetime with the 
American aborigine. His favorite sister Lucile was to 
be married and he hurried home. But the inspiration 
of this visit was his romance called Natchez and Atala. 
Then he went to England, but he found little pleasure 
and interest in his visit. At this time his essay on the 
revolution came from his pen. 



The Life of Juliette Recamier 95 

While staying at his mother's home he met Mile. 
Celeste Buisson de la Vigne, an orphan of seventeen, 
who lived with her grandfather, chevalier de Saint 
Louis, ancient commander of the sea at Lorient, 
retired to Saint Malo. Frangois Rene was drawn to 
her because she was fair, slight and unusually attrac- 
tive. He noticed her light curls that tumbled grace- 
fully over her forehead. She was full of life, capricious, 
fantastic and a bit spoiled. Her grandfather loved her 
devotedly and left her a fortune of about ^100,000 and 
this money made her feel that she could do much as 
she pleased. 

This pretty, adventuresome young girl attracted 
him, and they became engaged. After a romantic 
courtship they were married in 1792. 

Much as he admired his attractive young wife, it 
was a foregone conclusion she alone could never hold 
his interest. Among the first women to be welcomed 
to his salon were Germaine de Stael, Madame de 
Krudener, Mme. de Pastoret, the friend of Andre 
Chenier, Mme. de Beaumont, the friend of the moral- 
ist Joubert. The first one he attacked in open debate 
was his friend Germaine de Stael. He entered into 
the discussion with great fervor. She answered him by 
publishing his name as one of the emigres. He re- 
cognized his debt of gratitude to his generous enemy 
in a complimentary passage of Atala and Mercury. 
His Atala met with such immediate success that M. 
de Fontaines introduced him first to Napoleon's sisters 
and then to the consul. Even more successful was 
his Genius of Christianity. He was at the coronation 
of Napoleon, at Notre Dame, and gave his mark of 



96 The Life of Juliette Recamier 

approval by articles published in the Moniteur and 
Mercure. His first romantic venture was with Mme. 
de Custine, a woman of wealth and charm. She 
opened her chateau in 1802, and there he spent much 
time enjoying her society. She took such an interest 
in this brilliant writer that his wife finally insisted on 
her husband returning to Brittany and paying her a visit. 

Napoleon took a great interest in this brilliant 
writer who flattered his vanity, and in 1803 he ap- 
pointed him as secretary to the embassy at Rome. 
While performing his duties there he traveled with 
Mme. de Beaumont and her friend M. Louis Bertin, 
who had been exiled by Napoleon. Chateaubriand 
went to Florence and brought them to Rome. This 
awakened unpleasant feeling, and he left Rome on 
the 2ist of January, 1804, to occupy the post created 
for him, as minister of France in the Valais. Just as 
he was ready to accept the post he learned that the 
Emperor had ordered the death of the Duke of Eng- 
hien. Indignant at this performance, he told the 
emperor he did not want the position. In spite of the 
unpleasant feeling he knew that it would create, he 
was willing to return to private life. He bought a 
home at Vallee-aux-Loups in 1807 and there did much 
of his best writing. His wife was aware that he was 
gradually turning away from Napoleon and the Imperial- 
ist party. She admired Napoleon as he knew and did 
not want her husband to become disloyal to the party 
in power. 

It was in the Vallee-aux-Loups that Chateaubriand 
wrote his famous books the Martyrs, I'ltineraire, and 
le Dernier des Abencerages. His work on the Mar- 



The Life of Juliette Recamier 97 

tyrs created much hostile debate, lead by Mr. Hoff- 
mann in the Journal des Debats. In 181 1 he offered 
himself as an associate of the French Institute to take 
the place of Chenier. But he had displeased Napoleon 
who saw to it that Chateaubriand was honored, 
saying we take the man and not his book. It was in 
the winter of 18 13-18 14 that Chateaubriand took an 
apartment in the Rue de Rivoli. His place was op- 
posite the gardens of the Tuilleries where the Duke of 
Enghien was shot. Chateaubriand heard his cries and 
from that time on he turned against Napoleon. This 
was evident in his article on Bonaparte and the Bourbons. 

About this time his cousin was shot as a traitor in 
the fields at Crenelle. Rene tried to intercede for 
him, but with no results. This tragic end only in- 
creased his dislike for Napoleon. 

It was at the death bed of Germaine de Stael on 
the 4th of July, 18 17, that he met Juliette Recamier 
a second time. He came to her salon but it was not 
until 1 8 19, that Chateaubriand commenced his friend- 
ship with Juliette that lasted until his death. 

During her days in Rome her great friendship was 
with Canova, the great sculptor. For a time she lived 
in his home: it was like Aspasia living in the home of 
Phidias. Determined to immortalize her beauty in 
marble, he allowed her a corner of his studio where 
she modeled in clay. He made two busts of her, but 
she found them unsatisfactory and he tried to change 
them later. Most of their time was spent at his country 
homes in Tivoli and at Albano, where his brother 
wrote her a sonnet daily. 

But in Rome she had another ardent lover, the 



98 The Life of Juliette Recamier 

Prince of Rohan, and he spent much time flattering 
her eyes and ears. This Prince Leon was sent to Rome 
by Queen Caroline to ask Juliette to come and con- 
sole her in her troubles at Naples. It was at a time 
when Napoleon's power was on the wane. Murat 
did not wish to go down with him; his wife, Queen 
Caroline, encouraged her husband in his method. The 
Queen and the King at Naples flattered Juliette when 
she came to Naples showing they wished her aid and 
counsel. They had signed already the secret coali- 
tion against Napoleon. When he confessed this much 
to her, she said, "You are French, sire, you must be 
faithful to France." Murat opening a window and 
showing her the English fleet coming into the harbor 
answered: "Then I am a traitor," threw himself onto 
a sofa and burst into tears. 

While in Rome, then and later, Juliette Recamier 
and the Duchess of Devonshire became fast friends. 
High society in Rome, when they saw these two 
women driving together on the Corso or chatting in 
one or another's salon used to say it was difficult to 
decide which of the two was the more beautiful. 

Juliette was fond of the lovely duchess because of 
the sweetness of her manner and genuine sympathy. 
The duchess had been most attractive when a young 
girl and she still had marked traces of it. In spite of 
her slenderness which gave to her person the look of 
an apparition she had preserved the traces of a delicate 
and noble regularity. Her eyes were noticeable for 
their fire. Her body was straight and light and she 
walked like an empress, and her white complexion 
finished the harmonious whole. 



The Life of Juliette Recamier 99 

Her beautiful arms and hands had the whiteness of 
ivory, and she covered them with bracelets and rings. 
The grace and distinction of her manners cannot be 
surpassed. Her youth had not been without trouble 
and the agitation of her life had left on her appearance 
a trace of melancholy and something tender. 

These two women, the Duchess of Devonshire and 
Juliette Recamier, veiled carefully, drove to Rome at 
the fall of a certain day. They went through the 
crowd which was before the doors of the Palace Farnese, 
and went into the room where on the catafalque the 
owner of the palace lay in state. The Duchess of 
Devonshire in the presence of Juliette Recamier saw 
again in the stillness of holy death, the face which 
she had seen every day for twenty years animated 
with all the beauty and grace which was the charac- 
ter of the cardinal minister. What went on in her 
soul nobody except Juliette Recamier knew; she 
fainted in her friend's arms and was taken back to 
the palace. 

Chateaubriand made an explosion in the political 
world about 18 14, by his famous pamphlet of Bona- 
parte and the Bourbons. He entered into his new 
career, sword in hand as a conquering power and in 
the first day he embraced the Restoration with all 
the strength against the one that failed. 

This political career from 18 14 can be divided into 
two parts, from the first Somars 18 14 until the 6th 
of June 1824, the time of the pure Royalists. The 
second period from the 6th of June, 1824, the day of 
the re-entry of the Ministry until the downfall of the 
Restoration, the liberal period in open contradiction 



loo The Life of Juliette Recamier 

with the first period, the period of the Royahsts and 
of the Republicans after July, 1830. 

He wrote the following pamphlet on the Emperor. 
"Napoleon did more to corrupt men and brought more 
misery into the world in the short period of ten years 
than all the tyrants of Rome together, from the time 
of Nero to the last cruel persecution. There was a 
similar period in France when brigands and thieves 
reigned. 

"He was less abusive in 18 14 and he wished to ap- 
pear less vindictive. He still hoped for much, he 
hoped for everything and spoke for Louis XVIII in 
consequence." 

The spirit of party was no longer Juliette Recamier's. 
She had enough repose to welcome into her home all 
social classes, and apparently seemed to forget that 
Napoleon had sent her into exile. 

Chateaubriand told her then and many times later 
that she had the power to dispel the gloom of most 
people. That sorrow which he had inherited from his 
mother seemed to fade away in her presence. Though 
she wrote but little she expressed herself with great 
charm. In talking she also had a power of express- 
ing herself with ease. She showed preference for a 
fine turn of phrase, knew how to handle difficult 
situations and often came to the assistance of friends. 

While Juliette was reigning as a queen, she was 
being annoyed by Constant's bon mots to which she 
gave a cold ear, Ballanche whose pure words received 
exquisite attention, and Ampere who wrote her won- 
derful love letters when he or she was away from 
Paris. Chateaubriand was the only one who objected. 



The Life of Juliette Recamier ioi 

for he was jealous of Juliette's time and attention, 
besides he and Ampere disagreed on political opin- 
ions. But in spite of this feeling, Ampere made it a 
point to spend much time with Juliette when he was 
in Paris, and wrote her beautiful love letters when 
they were separated. The following are a few of the 
impassioned letters penned by him during the years 
1820 and 1826: 

"Paris, June 7th, 1822. 

"This evening is like a happy dream to me. I am 
quite intoxicated with it. I try to gather my ideas — 
I cannot. Happiness which fills my soul makes me 
feel aroused by passion. I do not feel as though I 
were to depart tomorrow, the day after tomorrow, 
during a whole week I will not see the little room so 
perfumed, I will not see you whom I love so much! 
Why are there so many things between us, your 
friends of the past, those of the present and so many 
ties.^ Oh, if we were but alone! At least in the mid- 
dle of so many obstacles there are a few hours of 
passion given to me, hours of delight and of delicious 
sadness, a few hours of those moments which throw 
charm and regret on the whole of life. The more I 
love you, the more I feel that I must love you. 

"My work, my ideal, my sadness all belong to you, 
because it will be delightful to pronounce your name 
in my verses, to paint under this name a pure soul, 
tender and kind, and that beauty which is in your 
look, in your features, which makes your voice as 
tender, which makes your smile so lovely, which gives 
to all your movements, to your arms and to your whole 
person that charm which only belongs to you. You 



I02 The Life of Juliette Recamier 

have asked me to paint your picture. I have made 
it without knowing it, in my mind. I left you this 
evening, I could have stayed longer. Oh, think of 
me, pity me and come back on Saturday; be pitiful 
and be kind. J. J. Ampere." 

Paris, January 9, 1825. 

"Forgive me what I wrote yesterday. Will you not 
also know my bad thoughts.'' It is for you to take my 
defense. But will you abandon me when you are more 
necessary to me than ever, when you alone can help me? 

"Never has my imagination brought forth more lively 
dreams, and wished so much for a little happiness. 
My whole soul, which cannot conceive any other 
thing, is concentrated on this deep wish, love and to be 
loved, if it were but for one day. It is you who by 
slow degrees have developed this feeling, which has 
taken root in me. At the same time, your image is 
too much in my heart to allow it to fix itself elsewhere. 
You have done me great wrong. You have given me 
the need and you have spoiled me. Give me at least 
all your friendship. J. J. Ampere." 

He had studied and thought much in his retreat at 
Vallee auxLoups near Paris, and in 1809 "The Martyrs," 
the most finished of his works, had appeared. He said 
of this book it was the one which he spent most time 
writing and correcting. It had given him the 
biggest reputation because of the style and for its 
wisdom of thought. It was in this small retreat that 
he had written 'TItineraire le Dernier des Abencer- 
ages," and had commenced his great Memoires. 



The Life of Juliette Recamier 103 

This simple home was attractive because of its situ- 
ation and for a small stream amid beautiful valleys, 
a little shade and its forests. 

It was in 181 5, after Germaine's death, when Bal- 
lanche came to stay with Juliette for a while that 
Chateaubriand had offered this place for sale in a lottery. 
France had not taken three tickets and Mathieu de 
Montmorency, although he was not rich, had bought 
the little place. It had only a poetical value for the 
trace which a man of genius leaves in the place he 
lived in so long. Though it was only a simple cottage, 
Juliette was glad to rent it from Mathieu de Mont- 
morency. When Germaine de Stael returned from 
exile, she visited Germaine at the Vallee aux Loups. 
Mathieu de Montmorency and his lovely daughter, 
the Duchess of Doudeauville considered it a treat to 
spend a few days at a time in the company of Juliette. 

Speaking of this incident, the daughter of Germaine 
de Stael, then the Duchess of Broglie, spoke innocently 
of the life in one of her letters to her mother's best 
friend, "I can see your little home at the Vallee aux 
Loups, as the nicest in the world, but when Mathieu's 
biograph of life of Saints will be written you must 
agree that this tete-a-tete with the most beautiful 
woman of her time will make a curious chapter." 

But all is pure for the pure says St. Paul and he is 
right; the world is just, in finally judging pure souls. 
For as Portmartin says in his Causeries Literaires 
''Juliette Recamier personified with incomparable grace, 
reconciliation and alliance between diverse elements 
of a society dispersed by storms and rebuilt with ruins. 
Being a bourgeoise by birth and marriage she saw 



I04 The Life of Juliette Recamier 

dukeSj princes and kings at her feet. The Mont- 
morencies and the Lamoignons, the descendants of 
these great families of knights who were going to 
inflict punishment by death on the century for equality, 
were devoted to her. 

Royalist by feeling and in her heart, she was faith- 
ful in all adversities. She helped the shipwrecked of 
all regimes and was a tie between the conquered of 
yesterday and those of the morrow. Placed at the 
meeting point and under the blow of two centuries of 
two societies and two worlds, she created to herself 
by the right of beauty and kindness a kingdom where 
the blows were made less cruel, where the wounds 
closed, where temper was always equal, where the 
sons of the Revolution refreshed themselves and where 
men of the times became young again." 

One can fancy Juliette Recamier, still dressed in one 
of those white gowns which suited her so well, walking 
in the midst of lovely scenery, perhaps alone or better 
still, in company with brilliant men and attractive 
women, those whom she had charmed, wounded, 
calmed and healed. 

Evening approaches, she is far away from Paris, 
in Rome or Naples, she is walking out in the Cam- 
pagna, near the edge of the road. She passes a small 
plastered cottage, and at the threshold stands an 
attractive, dark Italian mother holding her bambino 
wrapped in swaddling clothes, in her arms. A black 
eyed rosy cheeked girl and a dark, curly headed boy 
are playing in front of the home. A tired, soiled 
middle-aged man comes shambling back from the 
field, the children fly into his arms, and he hastens 



The Life of Juliette Recamier 105 

along to kiss the wife who is waiting for him. 
Juliette Recamier sees the meeting of this happy 
family and tears of joy, mixed with regret, trickle 
down her face. She knows that this is the only life, 
happiness and duty, the immortal law of life and the 
rest is only a passing shadow. 

She had this feeling in spite of the fact that she 
was at her zenith of power and beauty now; it con- 
tinued to be the last word of French elegance to be 
invited to her salon to a reading given by Constant, 
Ballanche, Ampere and Chateaubriand. Usually the 
readings were so crowded that the chairs were ar- 
ranged in circles, the women were seated and the 
men stood in back of them. Juliette usually sat in 
the center of the group. Discussing her popularity 
at that time, Gaudot says, **She attracted without 
any effort, she talked little, and her movements were 
slow and natural. Her eyes were lowered usually, 
and in raising them they looked different because 
they seemed to be turned away in a seductive man- 
ner. She had the spirit of creating conversation more 
than most women. She spoke little and never con- 
demned, but when she spoke her words penetrated." 

Though she traveled a great deal it was largely 
because of the upheaval in France, or for want of 
health that she visited the watering places in France 
or in Italy. Speaking of her travels she said, *T only 
enjoy it because of the independence it gives me, as 
I am attracted to the country, not so much for the 
country as for the solitude it gives me. 

"Travel holds me because I know that I have the 
opportunity to do as I please. Though it attracts 



io6 The Life of Juliette Recamier 

me, still I find this solitude a bore. When one is young 
nature speaks much to you, for we are all children 
of disillusionment. At these moments nature be- 
comes colder and less full of meaning. Then soli- 
tude hangs heavy on us and we long for conversa- 
tion. 

Chateaubriand did not like to speak much and 
especially in a loud voice. Juliette Recamier appre- 
ciated this fact and never forced him to talk when 
he wanted to think or write. She knew that he took 
his pen in hand naturally, but it was only in great 
moments he wished to speak. Sweetness was lack- 
ing in his nature and it was this he looked for and 
found in Juliette. 

Writing to a friend about his visit to Rome, he 
remarked, "Beautiful women are a common feature 
in Rome. They are called by their poets the Clolie 
and the Cornelie; you can well imagine the antique 
figures of Juno and Minerva coming down from their 
pedestals and marching about the temples. Pardon 
all these recollections but it is the tyranny of my 
memory in seeing the past in the present. This is a 
part that is miserable. Grace to Juliette Recamier, 
but grace to her it is the present which illuminates 
the past." 

In response once to a thrust, he answered, *Tf I can 
get my demission I hope to come back and spend 
years in Paris, or I should prefer to live in a faraway 
corner where I shall no longer be tormented by what 
people say." But the duchess who made the thrust 
was persistent enough to answer him. "You have 
many good qualities, but you are a man, and many 



The Life of Juliette Recamier 107 

of the little things and affectations make your heart 
solid in its attachments." 

He left Berlin after holding his post but a little 
while. Speaking of this event in his memoirs d'Outre 
Tombe, he wrote to Juliette that he hoped to see 
Mathieu as soon as he returned, but he doubted 
whether Mathieu would be pleased to see him, for 
having given up his post so hurriedly. Whether he 
was in Paris or in Berlin after 1818, he became Juliette's 
first consideration. He tried her patience much more 
than had any of her other friends outside of Constant. 

It was at this time that Lamartine had been in- 
vited by Juliette to read his Meditations. For it was 
in 1822 that her modest home in the Abbaye became a 
rendezvous for foreigners, no less than for Frenchmen 
of genius, having all shades of political and literary 
opinions. Lamartine says in the Cour-familiar de 
Litterature, *'I was passing through Paris on my way 
to Rome and I took the opportunity of going to the 
Abbaye for I wanted to see the Duchess of Devon- 
shire, the most sympathetic and generous woman 
towards artists in Europe. An unknown woman was 
standing at her side, with her arms on the mantel- 
piece, and she was trying to warm her feet over some 
dying embers. I had little time to notice as one sees 
stars shimmering in the night, a high forehead, beige 
hair, a Greek nose, eyes that were bathed in the blue 
of the soul, a mouth that drew together a bit when 
she smiled, cheeks that were neither rosy nor pale, 
but like velvet seemed to be touched by Autumn air. 
There was perfect harmony, a harmony born out of 
character." Marimee was also brought to the Abbaye 



io8 The Life of Juliette Recamier 

by Ampere, but he was sparser in his praise of her. 
Juliette had given up her attractive home with its 
lovely gardens in the Rue Anjou and had established 
herself in the Abbaye au Bois. Her husband's fail- 
urej^made this a necessity. Never was Juliette so 
popular as she was living on the third floor in this 
small apartment, overlooking a court. On the win- 
dows were placed pots of flowers, while in the court 
below walked the sisters for their daily airing. 

Chateaubriand rose early and wrote mornings. He 
went every afternoon climbing three flights of stairs to 
see Juliette. Either he read to her or she to him and 
at three o'clock the doors were thrown open to her 
friends. Often the three rooms were so crowded that 
many famous visitors had to be turned away. This 
was especially true when writers like Chateaubriand, 
Lamartine, Balzac or Ballanche read from their un- 
published works. 

One evening, Monsieur Lafond, a tragic actor of 
distinguished merit, recited a spiritual address from the 
pen of Casimir Delavigne to the people of Rouen. The 
verses were good, full of fervor and spirit and of true 
poetical feeling, and the manner in which they were 
spoken by Monsieur Lafond gave them their full effect. 
The whole scene was indeed striking and beautiful. 

A circle of elegant women surrounded the performer. 
The gentlemen were stationed in groups behind, 
while the inspired figure of Gerard's Corinne was 
strongly brought forward from the rest of the picture 
by a skillful arrangement. 

Juliette went to church every morning; her friend, 
M. Genoude, went with her. M. Chateaubriand never 



The Life of Juliette Recamier 109 

failed to meet her there. He knelt down to listen to the 
mass behind the chair of a friend and often forgot 
his prayer admiring her. 

Suddenly a coolness sprang up between Juliette and 
Chateaubriand. She found his friendship exacting in 
spite of her admiration for him. He was jealous of 
the attention she was getting from Ampere, Ballanche, 
Lamartine and of Mathieu de Montmorency. He 
decided finally to apply for the embassy at London and 
received the post in September, 1822. 

Again Juliette missed this savant, in spite of his 
exacting nature, though she struggled hard to get 
comfort from the personal visits and letters of her 
admirers. 

Hardly a day passed, but he wrote her lengthy 
letters, telling what he was doing and what he was 
writing. He made mention of the fact that he had 
been asked to give a reading for charity. It was a 
great success, and he also said he was in affluence in 
the same city where as a boy he had at one time been 
in actual want. 

Ballanche tried to make up this loss by calling on her 
daily, reading everything he wrote. He also induced 
her to spend part of her time translating Petrarch. 
Though this work was started it never was completed. 

Ampere spent much time in her company when he 
was in Paris, and wrote her loving letters when they 
were separated. The following is one of many: 

June 7th, 1822. 

**This evening is like a happy dream to me. I am 
quite intoxicated with it. I try to gather my ideas. 



no The Life of Juliette Recamier 

I cannot. Happiness which fills my soul arouses me 
with passion. I do not feel as though I were to depart 
tomorrow and that you, too, are leaving the day after 
tomorrow. During a whole week we shall be separated." 

Chateaubriand's ambitions and desire were destroy- 
ing little by little the sweet serenity Juliette had always 
known, even in spite of misfortunes and other disap- 
pointments. All the calm cheerfulness of her previous 
life, her peaceful days were troubled greatly by his 
agitations. Those former pleasant hours were pre- 
vented by cabinet councils, the sitting of chambers. 

Many years afterwards she told a friend that feeling 
a sentiment so perfect as that which she had done, 
filled her whole mind, it finally lost all its charm 
and dwindled into nothing. She had the feeling 
that she might not always have the self-control to re- 
frain from reproaching Chateaubriand. This threw a 
gloom over the past, leaving unpleasant recollections of 
past quarrels. Juliette left for Italy in November, 
1823. She made the poor health of her adopted 
niece an excuse. Ballanche soon followed her. 

Juliette spent much time in Rome, much of the time 
in the company of the Duchess of Devonshire. She 
had with her two of her favorite escorts, Ballanche 
and Ampere, who had gone to Italy ostensibly to write 
a guide of Italy. Ampere especially was glad that she 
had rid herself of Chateaubriand's company, for he 
thought that Chateaubriand got on her nerves and that 
he was usurping too much of her time. 

While in Rome she held salons to which Romans and 
French people of different political parties were in- 
vited. 



The Life of Juliette Recamier hi 

Speaking of these travels later, she said: "Traveling 
tired me, but I liked to travel because of the independ- 
ence it gave me. I liked the service of the sea for the 
spirit of independence it gave me, but I do not like to 
place myself under obedience of any kind. 

*Tt is impossible for me to obey," she said. "There- 
fore, I find that I enjoy traveling alone, and followed 
my wish. Solitude pleases me, and still it fatigues 
me, but often life fatigues me. This is a misfortune 
from which I have suffered all my life. I must suffer 
because there is no remedy for it. Meditations, 
enchantment, secret and indescribable charm of soul, 
how I reveled in these." 

It was toward the end of her visit in Rome that 
Queen Hortense came to the capital with her two sons. 
Though Juliette had not seen her since the Hundred 
Days in Paris, a warm friendship sprang up between 
them again, and Juliette, with her exquisite tact, 
never mentioned to her the unhappy years she had 
spent in exile. 

The Queen invited her to accompany her to a masked 
ball at the Torlonia. Both women went dressed alike. 
This friendship continued to the Queen's death in 1837. 
When she died she recalled this sweet friendship by 
leaving Juliette a lace shawl which she wore while in 
Rome. 

During this visit to Rome, Juliette made trips to 
Florence and to Naples; the charm of Florence and its 
country delighted her more than had Rome. But 
her long stay in Rome was not pleasing to Mathieu 
de Montmorency, who begged her to set a time for 
her return to Paris. She was not without letters from 



112 The Life of Juliette Recamier 

Chateaubriand, but most of them were not interest- 
ing because they were filled with thoughts concern- 
ing his own political gain. It was while she was 
traveling in Naples that he wrote to her telling that 
he had been dismissed from the ministry without a 
word of warning. Chateaubriand told Juliette then 
by letter, and later he explained that this sudden 
demission was caused by differing with M. Villele 
on the question of the electoral rule, and the question 
of the conversion of rents. Chateaubriand was ac- 
cused, by his silence, of having favored the majority. 

In spite of these unfortunate happenings to Cha- 
teaubriand, Juliette continued to enjoy her life in Italy, 
and did not worry too much. While in Naples she 
had the good fortune of being presented to the Count 
of Neipperg, and to the Duke of Rohan-Chabot. The 
one had ascended to the symbol of the eagle, the 
other to the wearing of the purple. The Duke of 
Rohan was considered a handsome man, and was most 
fastidious in his toilet. Later when this pious man 
was made an abbe, he proved himself to be a man 
of iron. He had been a chaplain under Napoleon, 
but he was made a cardinal during the Restoration. 
He was pale and aesthetic looking and had a sombre 
way of speaking. 

She had the good fortune of meeting many talented 
painters and sculptors during the time spent in Rome 
as she had before. Canova was dead, but Thorwald- 
sen, who was doing much fine work in Rome, took his 
place. Chateaubriand wished to have some bas re- 
liefs made to illustrate the Martyrs. Juliette gave 
Thorwaldsen the commission which resulted in many 



The Life of Juliette Recamier 113 

delightful afternoons spent in his studio by her and her 
friends. This friendship commenced in 1824 and con- 
tinued when Chateaubriand took the embassy at 
Rome in 1828. Among the other social leaders to 
whom she was presented, was the Duke of Noailles, 
married to Mile, de Mortemart, and his young wife, 
a charming woman whom Juliette met at the French 
embassy. The Duke of Noailles was the last of her 
young friends. A number of Russians came to her 
salon; among this number was a brilliant woman by 
the name of the Countess of Nesselrode. 

Mme. Swetchine who had had a salon at one time 
in Paris was in Rome. She was the friend of Con- 
stant, and had invited him to come to her home and 
pray with her that Juliette might again take him into 
her good graces. Charming, and at times brilliant in 
conversation, she took special delight in conversing 
with Ballanche on philosophical subjects. 

Juliette made a number of sojourns to many points 
of interest from Rome. She took her niece with her 
to Trieste; the ladies were accompanied by Juliette's 
good friend, Ballanche. Her old time friend Mme. 
Murat had come there to see her. It was after eleven 
when they arrived, but Juliette was admitted to her 
bedchamber, where the old time friends chatted until 
early morning, over fortunate and unfortunate hap- 
penings. The next morning the Queen sent her a 
letter of greeting with a large bouquet of flowers. 
While Juliette was in Trieste, she presented her niece 
and her friend Ballanche to the Queen. The Queen was 
delighted with the charm of the sweet, simple young 
girl who was being educated under Juliette's careful 



114 The Life of Juliette Recamier 

supervision. In turn she presented her second daugh- 
ter, the Princess Louise to them. The villa in which 
the Queen was living was a suitable setting for her 
charm and beauty, which she still enjoyed. On the 
loth day of May, 1825, Juliette made up her mind 
to return to Paris, urged by letters from Mathieu de 
Montmorency and Chateaubriand, and because her 
niece wanted to see Paris once more. 




Chapter X 

Juliette Back in Paris 
JULIETTE returned to her small apart- 
ment in the Abbaye, and no sooner was 
she settled than Rene Chateaubriand 
commenced his daily visits without any 
reference to any unpleasant past feelings. 
Juliette was delighted at the thought of again being 
in the midst of her family and friends. 

The death of Louis XVIII brought Chateaubriand 
back to Paris. He announced the coming of Charles 
X in his pamphlet, "Bonaparte and the Bourbons, 
*The king is dead, long live the king.' " Chateaubriand 
and his wife went to the Coronation of Charles X 
at Rheims. Being a chevalier, he was present at 
the ceremony; recognizing this order, the King 
spoke some friendly words with him. 

The coronation ceremony over, Rene went back to 
Paris to continue his work and to enjoy his associa- 
tion with Juliette Recamier. 

She was living for a short time at the Vallee au 
Loups, which was now owned by Mathieu de Mont- 
morency. One of his real pleasures consisted in visit- 
ing there Juliette who had rented the house. About 
this time they suggested the name of Mme. Desbords, 
introduced by M. De Latouche. She was not given 
the scholarly recognition, but she was offered a living, 
about one thousand francs. 

A moment of honest joy crept into the heart of 
Juliette, when her adopted daughter was married 

115 



ii6 The Life of Juliette Recamier 

to Mr. Leormant, who was made inspector of the 
Academy of the Beaux Art through the influence of 
M. le vicomte of de La Rochefoucauld. A few weeks 
before this happy event, M. Mathieu de Montmorency 
was honored with the title of the Duke of Bordeaux, 
in recognition for his high morals and religious views. 
He commenced his work at once, but on the 24th of 
March he was seen kneeling prostrate before the tomb 
of the Saviour. His death followed shortly afterwards. 
Though the duke had not lived with his wife and 
daughter for some time, both of them took his death 
much to heart. Some time later, his wife, realizing 
that some of the lectures her husband had given at 
the Abbaye, and his letters annoyed her, she sent 
them to Juliette. 

She built a hospital to her husband's memory and 
devoted herself to taking care of the sick and needy. 
At the death of Mathieu de Montmorency, Rene 
wrote a prayer to console his friend Juliette. 

Though he was always received alone at the Abbaye, 
Juliette received many visitors in spite of her tiny 
apartment on the third floor. In this galaxy of visit- 
tors was the Duke of Rochefoucauld, Ampere, Benjamin 
Constant, Delphine Gay and Mile. Mante, an actress 
of the Theatre Frangais. 

This cell Juliette occupied seven years. It was in 
1826 that she occupied the apartment on the first 
floor, left vacant by the Marquise of Montmurail. 
It was here that Lamartine read from his Meditations. 

Etienne Delecluze speaking of these reunions at the 
Abbaye said: "They were not only friends and many 
acquaintances of Juliette, but there were evenings 



The Life of Juliette Recamier 117 

when the smartest of Parisian society found access 
there. They added to the charm of the gathering and 
to the brilHant conversation. At times music offered 
the evening's amusement, but more often it addressed 
itself to the intellectuals and to the men and women 
of common soul. Here were read the unpublished 
work of Chateaubriand, of Ampere, of Balzac, the 
great novelist whose works were still unknown and he 
read from some of these unpublished works. The 
lecturers were the Duke of Noailles, known in Rome 
and in Paris; seated close to Chateaubriand was the 
son of Ampere. At first Chateaubriand read from the 
script on which he was now hard at work, the 
Memoires d'Outre Tombe. At times these lectures 
took on the nature of reunions, but when Juliette 
planned them they were much more formal." 

The great poet did not often read himself; perhaps 
he feared that his voice would not carry and his soul 
was filled with such intense emotions. But if one lost 
certain accents of mystery in not hearing him, it had 
certain advantages; one followed the lecture as a 
shadow hiding a traveler through a forest. 

On small tables there were books of the most fa- 
mous men of France of the day elegant in their 
appearance, and on the fly leaves were written many 
kinds of tokens of friendship. 

One of the writers speaks of these soirees in these 
words, **The fewest of the salons were held evenings 
and Chateaubriand did not like to come to them. I 
only saw him there once, on the following occasions. 

"M. de Fresnes had composed some beautiful music; 
an opera which had for a title Cymodocee, the subject 



ii8 The Life of Juliette Recamier 

had been taken from Chateaubriand's Martyrs, and 
had been arranged by M. Fitre Chevalier. This 
harmonious and clever music was executed by artists 
and made a splendid effect. 

"All the connoisseurs and critics were gathered 
together, the press was invited to take part at the 
fete. Jules Janin, Theophile Gautier, Eduard Thiery, 
Fiorentino, Francis Wey, and Leon Gorzlan." The 
hero of the hour was little in evidence. When some 
one went near him he commenced to excuse himself 
for being there at that hour, which was contrary to 
his usual custom. 

After the death of M. Mathieu de Montmorency, 
M. Chateaubriand wished to soften Juliette Re- 
camier's suffering and he wrote a prayer for him 
which he gave to Juliette. In this prayer he spoke of 
her as a miracle of kindness. "I have found in your 
friend's soul the virtue which I lost. In looking at 
your divine beauty one feels transported and it robs 
death of its shadows of gloom." 

About this time Mme. de Chateaubriand, always 
delicate, was excited greatly over the political differ- 
ences of her husband, and she went to the middle of 
France for a trip. Chateaubriand remained behind 
and spent much of his leisure paying daily visits to 
the Abbaye au Bois. He was getting more liberal in 
his political views and more daring in his expression. 
Finally it was decided to send him as minister to 
Rome, in the place of the Duke de Laval, who had 
held the position up to then, but was being transferred 
to Vienna. 

Juliette's friends were surprised to learn that Cha- 



The Life of Juliette Recamier 119 

teaubriand was willing to be separated for any length 
of time from the Abbaye. Juliette realized that his 
going would put a damper on her salon, but she 
wanted to make the best of it. But she urged the Duke 
de Laval to give him the post, which he did for her 
sake. 

From September, 1828 to May, 1829, her salon was 
at low ebb, for Juliette was busy receiving letters 
from him from Rome, and in answering them. In 
the midst of these trials she suffered another loss, 
in the passing of her father. 

The following are a few of the many letters writ- 
ten during the years 1826-29: 

Ampere to Juliette: 

"Naples, Thursday 16, 1826. 

"I received your second letter from Terracine; it 
touches me to the bottom of my heart. I think of 
you and follow you on this road on which you are 
alone. I follow you like the poor pigeon traveler. 
Has my brother all he wants, good food, good lodging 
and best of everything.'' 

J. J. Ampere." 

She in turn wrote him the following letter: *T 
want to think of your excellent father, of his happi- 
ness in seeing you again, so I could not find that your 
absence was absurd. I am delighted with your lec- 
ture. Do you not work during this long voyage? 
You promised me an elegy on Venice. The weather 
is admirable, the air is sweet and perfumed. I am 
alone. Goodbye until Saturday." 



I20 The Life of Juliette Recamier 

These letters are interesting for many reasons. They 
show the spirit of egotism that was mixed with his 
passion of love as far as Juliette was concerned. His 
enthusiasm was filled with doubt and she did much 
to rob him of this pessimism. Except in religion he 
had little faith. He desired more than he hoped for. 
Hope is a sentiment composed of sweetness and se- 
curity. The word hope is seldom seen in his letters, 
and with that restriction he speaks: 'T hope as much 
as I can hope." Again he says: *T believe that I 
can nourish myself with hope, but not too much." 

"Dieppe, the first of August, 1829. 

*Tt is today that you left and I put you into my 
thoughts and vows. I listen with impatience news 
about your trip. I spoke to M. Ballanche this morn- 
ing about your illustrious father. He has a warm 
regard for him, and I spoke to him about your future 
plans. 

"We are here in the midst of a world of perfect 
solitude. I go to bed at nine o'clock, and I get up at 
six o'clock. I am taking sea baths and they are do- 
ing me a world of good. I walk along the sea, and I 
think and dream of my friends. I sometimes make 
morning visits and I pass my evenings with Ballanche. 
This solitude is ideal, and I only need your spirit to 
change the occasional monotony into varied interest. 

"Madame Chateaubriand has gone to Canterets. 
I received a letter from her. The wisdom and inter- 
est she takes in you shows that I have a right to 
your friendship. Nothing sweeter can be imagined 
than the letters and the interest you show in me." 



The Life of Juliette Recamier 121 

Ballanche and Chateaubriand became less friendly 
at this time. And for two reasons. Ballanche felt 
that Chateaubriand was somewhat selfish in his in- 
terests as far as his friendship with women was con- 
cerned. He flattered Juliette because he wished to 
use her socially. Besides he was opposed to the hu- 
mor which Chateaubriand put into his article, "La 
Monarchic selon la charte." Balanche was a Royal- 
ist at heart but still he was alive to conditions as 
they should be. He had the feeling that Chateau- 
briand might get Juliette mixed up unfortunately in 
political affairs. 

During this time, every morning Chateaubriand 
wrote the fair Juliette a letter, and he went to see her 
every afternoon. But the political influence he was 
getting, and the fortunate way he had in worming 
his way to Juliette's heart did not satisfy him. He 
knew that Mathieu de Montmorency would do any- 
thing in his power to please Juliette, so he used this 
influence to help him get an embassy, first to Berlin 
and then to London. Chateaubriand told her that 
he had been forced to accept this political trust, but 
he would make it as short as possible. It is said on 
good authority that Juliette missed Rene more than 
she had most of her admirers. At least the following 
letter written by her rival, the Duchess of Duras, 
would suggest this: "Dear brother, I wish to speak 
of you and the affair at the Abbaye au Bois. Friends 
say that you are coming back in the spring to be near 
that beautiful woman, and that lady grows pale while 
waiting. In your absence it was one of your best 
friends who told me this. It would seem that you 



122 The Life of Juliette Recamier 

cannot live unless you are chained. Can I believe 
this? They say that you are going to give up your 
position so that you can look on her face and into her 
eyes whenever you like. This will spoil your diplo- 
matic career. Well, do as you like in this matter. I 
shall at least see you some time." 

Juliette in no way considered herself as Mme. Cha- 
teaubriand's rival, but rather her good angel and refuge. 
Mme. de Chateaubriand sought her assistance when 
her husband was cast down. In spite of a second 
loss of Juliette's husband's fortune, she was radiant with 
happiness, and was handsomer than ever, when she 
first moved to the Abbaye. Solitude and reflection 
had given her new power of enjoyment; her taste for 
intellectual society was increased. 

Picture her in a small apartment at the Abbaye 
au Bois, in a large old building in the Rue de Sevres 
with a courtyard closed on the street by a high iron 
gate surmounted by a cross of the same metal. Through 
this gate one sees the square court, and opposite to 
the entrance to the parlor of the convent. Different 
staircases ascend from this yard conducting to apart- 
ments inhabited by retired ladies. Here every night 
Mathieu de Montmorency came; the Superior con- 
sented that the outside gate which had been closed 
at eleven should be permitted to remain open till 
twelve. 

Here is a description of the room left by Chateau- 
briand: "Her bedroom was furnished with a library, 
a harp and a piano, a portrait of Madame de Stael 
and a view of Coppet at moonlight. After climb- 
ing three flights of stairs, I entered her cell at the 



The Life of Juliette Recamier 123 

approach of evening. I was delighted, for the win- 
dows looked out on the gardens, where the religious 
ones promenaded evenings. The shadows of an acacia 
were seen from the windows and the Sevres hills. The 
sun gilded the picture and entered the open windows. 
Some of the birds slept in the shutters that were open. 
I reveled there in the silence and the solitude, so far 
away from the tumult of the great city. 

"But the most precious thing one found there was 
a friendship which was difficult to distinguish from 
love." 

Chateaubriand to Juliette: 

"Paris, Sunday morning, 14th Sept., 1828. 

"This is my first letter, it calls you to Rome or 
brings me back to Paris. Believe me, nothing in life 
will be able to separate me from you. I will not tell 
you how much I suffer for I know you suffer, too. 
Before I come to Rome a month will be past and this 
month is one less to be separated from you. You may 
depart earlier than you have decided. If you do not 
come it will be your fault; for I will love you so much; 
my letters will call you to come so often. I will beg 
you to come to me with so much constancy that you 
will have no reason to leave me alone. 

"Think of this that we have to finish our days to- 
gether, that present which consists of what is left of 
life to me is a very poor one, but take it, and if I have 
lost some days I will make the few that are left to me 
all the better. 

"I will write a few lines to you tonight from Fon- 
tainebleau, then from Villeneuve, from Dijon, Lau- 



124 The Life of Juliette Recamier 

sanne, and from the Simplon. Let me have a few 
hnes from you poste restant at Milan. I hope to 
see you again soon. I will prepare a lodging for you 
and take possession of the ruins of Rome for you. 
My good angel protect me. 

"Ballanche has given me great pleasure, he had 
seen you; he brought me something from you. Good- 
bye till this evening. I brighten up again. Write a 
line to Lausanne there where I shall find your souvenir 
and then at Milan. You must stamp the letters. 
Hyacinthe will see you. He will being me tidings 
from you at Villeneuve." 

"Rome, October 27th, 1828. 

"Although I did not expect to receive a letter from 
you yesterday, since I had one by the preceding mail 
and since you are not prodigal with your letters, I 
felt very sad in seeing nothing from you. 

"I am still in the same disposition; from weariness 
and solitude I have fallen in visiting and dinner parties. 
It is now decidedly clear to me that I can no longer 
bear the life of the world. I never liked it, but my 
five years of retreat have completed my incapability 
of social duties. I wonder why I should thus lose 
time in seeing people with whom I have no ideas in 
common, why I should give what remains of my life 
to stupid gossip of ordinary people. And all this why? 
In order to attain an aim which I do not wish to at- 
tain since I have no ambition and that I only aspire 
to retire. 

You see that since even in arts and science I only 
find objects of sadness and in the world objects of 



The Life of Juliette Recamier 125 

weariness, I must go back as soon as possible into 
my den. It is near you that I will find again all that 
I miss here." 

"Rome, Saturday 11 April, 1829. 

*'We are now in the nth of April. In a week it 
will be Easter; in a fortnight I will get my conge and 
then see you! Everything disappears with that hope 
— I am no longer sad. I no longer think of ministers 
or politics. Be again with you, this is all. I would 
give the rest for a farthing. 

"Tomorrow the Holy Week will begin. I will think 
of all you told me about it. Why are you not here 
to hear with me those beautiful songs of grief? And 
then we should walk in the deserts of the Roman 
campagna now covered with grass and flowers. All the 
ruins seem to grow younger with the years. I am 
of the number. My friend Bertin has taken all the 
good out of the speech. He brought forth the praise 
given to Cardinal Castiglioni, and four days after 
you will have heard that this cardinal was the Pope 
as a reward for his praises. I wait the arrival of the 
post before I close this letter. 

*T have received a good letter from you of the 
30th. I regret Rayneval as you do; but we shall not 
be fortunate enough to have him. I will do what I 
can for Andryane. I see by the discussion that every- 
body is against the law. What is all that to me? I 
will be at the Abbaye-au-Bois in a month or even 
before. 

"There is a portrait of the Pope by Cottreau. It 
is striking." 



126 The Life of Juliette Recamier 

"Lyons, Sunday 3 h. J^ 24th of May, 1829. 

"Read this date. It is from the town where you 
were born. You see that we shall find each other 
again and that I am always right. I send Hyacinthe 
to bring you this note. Shall I now bring you back 
with me to Rome or shall you keep me back in Paris? 
We will see. Today I can only speak of the happiness 
of seeing you again on Thursday. Besides if they 
wait for me impatiently I will deceive everybody for 
I am pleased with nobody. I have hard truths to 
tell. I will tell them all the better that I request 
and will nothing. My position is good. I have done 
a great business. I have made a hard and glorious 
campaign in a place where everything was entirely 
quiet. They wished to forget me and that has not 
been possible. 

"My conge which leaves me quite independent and 
which has been given to me before M. Portalis was 
minister gives me all the time to choose the party I 
shall like. Thursday at last. My heart beats at 
the thought to find you again in your little room. 
I have a letter from the Queen of Holland for you. 

"Thursday! I dare not believe that word! Only 
a week ago I saw the mountains of Sabine and now I 
see those of the Bourbonnais! From the Tiber to 
the Rhone, the Rhone whose shades have been embel- 
lished by your gaze! Thursday!" 

"Paris, Sunday 19th, July, 1840. 

"You are gone. I do not know what to do. Paris 
is a desert less its beauty. We have taken no resolu- 
tion, and it is very likely that we shall not take any. 



The Life of Juliette Recamier 127 

Where you are not all is cold, everything fails — resolu- 
tions, decisions. If only I had some work to do; but 
the memoires are finished. Do you know what the 
Duchess of Cumberland wrote to me from Ems? You 
will not write to me, I will write to you, although I 
can hardly write one letter. The old cat can no longer 
show its claws — he retires. I become smaller, my 
writing diminishes — my ideas fade. There is only one 
thing left for me — you. Let us keep in mind Italy. 
Intelligences to whatever opinion they belong are at 
the service of lies. The sun will not deceive us — she 
will warm my old years which freeze around me." 

"Boulogne, Nov. 21, 1843. 

*T wanted to write to you with my own hand but 
I am so tired that I am obliged to dictate to Danielo. 
I leave tomorrow morning at 7 o'clock for England. 
I have received your excellent letter three days ago. 
All is well. A deputation from the town came to see 
me. Good-bye — keep your friendship for me so that 
I might find it entire at my return. What a lot of 
things I have to tell you. I saw the Gazette. Thank 
M. Genoude for me if you see him. Best wishes to 
my young and old friends." 

To Madame Recamier, 14th May, 1829: 

"My departure is fixed for the i6th. The letter 
of Vienna came this morning announcing that the 
Duke of Leval has refused the ministry of affairs 
to strangers. Is it true? If he holds to this first 
refusal what will happen? God only knows. I hope 
that everything will be decided before my arrival in 



128 The Life of Juliette Recamier 

Paris. It seems to me that we have fallen under a 
paralysis and we only have not the tongue of free 
speech. 

"You will think that I shall combat M. de Laval; 
I doubt it. I am not disposed to quarrel with any 
one. I shall arrive in a most pacific temperament, 
and these men will have to pick a quarrel with me. 
While I await the opinion of the minister, there is 
not enough spirit of praise and of flattery for me in 
these dispatches. The day and the place are not 
mentioned; all that is announced dryly to me is the 
nomination of M. de Laval in a rude dispatch, and 
most stupid at the same time. But to be so sly and so 
insolent from one post to another, he ought to re- 
member to whom he is addressing himself, and M. 
Portalis could have averted by a word the answers 
which I last gave him. It is possible he signed it 
without having read it, as Carnot signed certain 
executions of death." 

His last thought about Rome: 

"The first time I came to Rome it was the end of 
June. The summer heat had begun driving the crowds 
out of the city. The strangers have gone and the 
Romans have locked themselves up in their homes. 
One no longer encounters pedestrians in the streets. 
The warm mid-day sun beats down on the Coliseum 
and nothing stirs, except the lizards that dart out 
from the grasses. The earth is bare, the sky without 
any clouds, it seems more like a desert than mere 
earth. But when night comes the people come out 
of their homes and Rome lives again. This life is 
born again out of perfect silence. Around the tombs 



The Life of Juliette Recamier 129 

there is an air of life and the promenades that have 
been hidden in shadow are once more lively. 

"Yesterday I went at moonlight into the country 
between the port of Angelique and Mont Marius; 
there I heard a nightingale, it was singing on a balus- 
trade. In it I heard that sad melody, which is so 
frequent in Latin poetry. I recognized the refrain 
of all the birds, and of this lovely symphony none was 
so lovely as that of the nightingale; he had some- 
thing veiled in his song, as the sigh of the nightingales 
in the trees in our woods. All the notes were in a 
low voice, the strain blended from major to minor. 
He sang in a half voice, he had the air of wanting to 
charm the sleep of those dead, wishing to awaken 
them. In it was heard la Lydie of Horace, of Delia, 
of TibuUe, of Corinne, of Ovid, and there only re- 
mained the Nightingale of Virgil. This hymn of love 
is powerful at this hour. It gives I know not what 
feeling of passion to this second life. It gives one 
the feeling that made a young man say to a Greek 
girl: Tf there only remained the string of my strand 
of pearls I should divide that with you.' 

*Tf I have the good fortune to spend my last days 
here I shall arrange to enjoy them at Saint Onuphre 
and have the room adjoining to where Tasso lived. 
In moments forgetting all my political work in the 
window of that cell I shall continue my memoirs. In 
the loveliest city of the world, in the midst ot orange 
trees and oaks with all Rome in view, every morn- 
ing I shall set myself to work, between the deathbed 
and the tomb of the poet, and I shall invoke the 
genius of glory and of misfortune." 



130 The Life of Juliette Recamier 

"Rome, Saturday, 3 January, 1829. 

"I renew my good wishes to you in the new year, 
and that God will grant you a long life. Never for- 
get me; I have hopes since you have remembered your 
friends Mathieu de Montmorency and Madame de 
Stael so well. Your memory is as good as is your 
heart. 

"I was telling Madame Salvage yesterday that I 
knew nothing in this world as lovely and noble as you. 

"I passed an hour in the company of the Pope 
yesterday. We spoke of many things; some of these 
were important and serious. This man is distin- 
guished and brilliant and he is a prince full of dignity. 
Nothing is lacking in my political life except to have 
had business relations with a Pope. This completes 
my career. Do you wish to know my routine with 
exactness? I rise every morning at five-thirty, and 
I have my breakfast at seven. At eight o'clock I 
am busy at work in my cabinet. I either begin the 
day by writing to you or attending to any business 
that comes before me for the French people, especially 
for the poor, and this work is urgent. 

"I spend two or three hours daily wandering among 
the ruins or visit St. Peter's or the Vatican. Some- 
times I make a necessary call before or after my walk. 
I come home at five o'clock, and I dress for the evening. 
We dine at six o'clock and in the evening we have a 
soiree at home or are invited out, or I receive a few 
persons on urgent business. 

"I retire at eleven, and sometimes I walk out at this 
hour in the country, nothwithstanding the thieves and 



The Life of Juliette Recamier 131 

the malaria. What do I do? I listen to the silence, 
and I enjoy watching my shadow as it passes from 
door to door, or along the aqueducts lightened by the 
moon. 

"The Romans are so accustomed to my methodical 
life that I am sure they can map them off by the 
hours." 

"Rome, Thursday, 8th January, 1829. 

*T am very unhappy, the loveliest time in the world 
we have passed in rain, so I have been unable to 
take promenades. This has been the only happy 
moment in my day. I have thought of you in this 
deserted country. There are allied in my sentiments 
the future and the past. I am making the same prom- 
enades, going once or twice a week in the quarters 
where the English keep themselves. Who remembers 
today this young woman. Miss Bathurst? Her com- 
patriots gallop along the river without giving her a 
thought. The Tiber which has seen so many things 
is no longer embarrassed. Moreover the floods have 
begun again, they are now turbulent — now pale and 
tranquil, when they passed this creature so full of 
life and of beauty. 

" I must give you an account 

of my last Tuesday. There was an enormous crowd 
at the embassy. I was resting with my back placed 
against a marble table. An English woman whom 
I did not know approached me and said, looking at 
me sharply, *M. Chateaubriand, you are very un- 
happy.' Astonished by this remark and the manner 
of her conversation I asked her what she meant to 
imply. She answered me, T tell you that you are 



132 The Life of Juliette Recamier 

unhappy/ Saying this she crossed her arms and was 
lost in the crowd, and I did not see her again the re- 
mainder of the evening. This strange creature was 
not young nor pretty. I found her strange because 
of her mysterious words." 




Chapter XI 
The Tragedies of the Convent 

"Rome, Tuesday, 13th January, 1829. 
jAST evening I wrote you at eight o'clock, 
the letter that M. de Viviers will bring 
you; this morning on waking I still wrote 
to you sending it by a courier who goes at 
noon. You know the poor women of Saint 
Denis, they have been abandoned since the arrival of 
the great women of the Trinite-du-Mont. Without 
becoming the enemy of the first I ranked with Madame 
Chateaubriand on the side of the weak. For a month 
the ladies of St. Denis wanted to give a fete to us, they 
selected noon as the hour. Imagine, if you will, a 
theatre arranged as a sacristy, with a tribune. For 
actors we had a dozen little girls ranging from eight to 
fourteen, and playing Maccabees. They made their own 
caps and cloaks. They declaimed their French verses 
with a fervor and a funny Italian accent. They 
stamped their feet energetically at times. One was a 
niece of Pius VII, one Thorwaldsen's daughter, and one 
was the daughter of Puvis de Chavnnes, the painter. 
They were extremely pretty in their simple paper frocks. 
"The one who played the part of the high-priest 
had a black beard, that was both charming and odd, 
and she had great difficulty in keeping it in place with 
her small white hand. 

"For our audience we had the mothers of these 
children and some of the sisters, two or three babes, 
and some twenty young boarders with white veils. 

^33 



134 The Life of Juliette Recamier 

We brought cake and ice cream from the embassy. 
They played the piano between the acts. Judging 
by the joy this fete brought to the convent, pleasant 
memories will remain. The program was finished 
by 'Long live for Eternity,' sung by three religious 
ones in the church." 

**Rome, Monday, 23rd February, 1829. 

"Yesterday the obsequies of Pope Leo XII came 
to an end. The pyramid of paper and the four cande- 
labras were beautiful, because they were large and in 
keeping with the proportions of the theatre. The last 
requiem was beautiful. It was composed by a man 
not known to the outside world, who belonged to the 
Pope's chapel. He seemed to have a genius of another 
kind than that of Rossini. Today we are passing from 
sorrow to joy, singing Veni Creator, for the opening of 
the conclave. We are looking forward to the com- 
ing event, and the smoke blows in a certain direction. 
The day when there is no smoke the Pope will be 
named, and I shall be with you again, that is at the 
foundation of my work." 

The Villa Medicis, The Fetes at Rome 

"I have given balls and evenings in London and 
in Paris. And being a child of another temperament 
I found that I enjoyed solitude. But I never knew 
what fetes in Rome really meant. They have an 
antique poetry about them which puts death on the 
opposite side of pleasure. 

"At the Villa Medicis there were gardens already 
in bloom and there I received the Grand Duchess 



The Life of Juliette Recamier 135 

Helene; the setting of the picture was lovely. On 
one side was the Villa Borghese with the Raphael 
house. On the other the villa of Monte-Mario and 
the sides which border the Tiber. Below the specta- 
tor was Rome abandoned like a black eagle. Amidst 
these beauties, the descendants of Paula, and of Cor- 
neilee, of Naples, Florence and Milan, the Princess 
Helene seemed to reign. A storm came down from 
the mountain suddenly, and destroyed the tent where 
the festivities were held, and the garlands of flowers, 
and everything looked like a flooded river. The em- 
bassy was in consternation. I do not know what 
ironic gayety possessed me to see this hurricane that 
brought me such joy. The evil was repaired promptly; 
instead of dining on the terrace we dined inside. 
The harmony of the crashes of the trees and the 
branches thrown down by the wind, suggested the 
noise of the American forest. The groups who had 
been playing outside, and the winds that had played 
with their hair, presented curious figures, gave a new 
character to those games that seemed to be mixed 
with storms, and demand the illusions of the world. 
"I have great pleasure in my remembrances of the 
autumn, when in evenings I saw passing me the women 
of the spring, who suggest the flowers, the concerts, 
and the lustre of my successive galleries. These 
pictures of beauty, of diamonds, of flowers, blend to 
the sound of Rossini music, which repeat and blend 
with the orchestration. Are these melodies the sug- 
gestions of those songs I heard in the swamps of Florida, 
or those I heard in the temples at Athens? Is it simi- 
lar to that sung by the ocean? My sylph is perhaps 



136 The Life of Juliette Recamier 

hidden in the form of some lovely Italian. My dryad 
is still wandering over the prairies, where I spoke to 
her. I am a stranger to the society by which I am 
now surrounded, and perhaps there comes from this 
experience a pride which mounts to my head. When 
I wish to rest I go to St, Peter's or to the Coliseum; 
then the little dramas of life are forgotten, and in this 
brusque change of scene there is the sadness of my 
old days." 

As soon as Rene returned to Paris he hurried to 
the Abbaye au Bois to see Juliette, and from this 
moment their friendship unfolded through the years 
until it developed on his part into a love based on the 
highest and purest affection. 

Her adopted niece was at Toulon superintending 
her new home while her husband was travelling in 
Greece. Their absence made a great gap in Juliette's 
life, and she was glad to have Rene's company. Juliette 
comments on his success in Rome, writing to M. 
Lenormant that the king was delighted with Rene's 
work in Rome and wants him to return shortly. His 
health felt the need of relaxation after his arduous 
work so he decided to take a cure in the Pyrenees. 
Before leaving he announced a reading of his last work, 
Moise. Lafond of the Comedie Francaise was asked 
to read it. Juliette gave her salon for this reading. 
Juliette had moved from the third floor to the first 
and the rooms were more spacious for this venture. 
Lafond did not give the time to the preparation of 
the reading he should and the venture fell flat. This 
was a great disappointment to Juliette and to Chateau- 
briand also, for she had invited the haute-monde and 



The Life of Juliette Recamier 137 

the savants alike and they looked for this event as 
his crowning literary glory. Chateaubriand went to 
take the water at Cauterests and she, with her ever 
faithful friend, Ballanche, went to Dieppe. 

During all this time Chateaubriand was opposed 
to the Polignac ministry; the Prince of Polignac had 
been given this office by Charles X. Juliette Re- 
camier and some other of Chateaubriand's friends 
knew how he felt about the Polignacs and feared he 
might resign from politics altogether. While Cha- 
teaubriand was in an upheaval about this affair, the 
ever faithful and sweet-natured Ballanche was trav- 
eling with Juliette, and was finishing his Palingenesis 
and thinking about his next work Zenobie. About this 
time, Merimee, the writer, was eager to enter the 
political arena and he urged Juliette to exert her in- 
fluence to get him some political position. The Duke 
de Laval had lost his embassy in Rome, but through 
the influence of Chateaubriand he was given the Lon- 
don office, and Juliette hoped that Merimee could 
get some London post. 

During the winter of 1829-30 Juliette came back 
to Paris. Though the Liberals and the Royalists were 
always represented in her salon, there were more lib- 
erals there than ever before. Her friends attributed 
this to the influence of Ballanche and Chateaubriand. 
There were a number of new savants introduced to 
her salon, among them Quinet — who was writing a 
book on modern Greece. He had as assistant, Germaine 
de Stael some years before, when he was translating 
Herder — and he was delighted with her brilliant mind, 
but he was delighted with Juliette's charm and beauty, 



138 The Life of Juliette Recamier 

and especially by the fact that she was willing to 
pardon his ugliness. Victor Hugo at this moment was 
producing Hernani and some of his early plays, and 
he took time to visit Juliette's salon. He went one 
step further and sent her box-stall tickets for the 
opening night of Hernani. Sainte Beauve, suggesting 
a Roman senator or philosopher with his high sloping 
forehead and strong Roman nose, was a frequent 
visitor at the salon and has left some interesting 
studies of the savants seen there as well as of its 
charming hostess. 

He describes the salons of the time in the following 
words, "The room into which I was introduced to 
Madame Recamier was on the first floor. It was 
large and there were two small rooms adjoining. The 
light was kept out by two thick curtains, and at times 
it was quite impossible to distinguish anything when 
you first entered the rooms. I saw some people when 
they came in greeting Ballanche, whom they mistook 
in the darkness for Juliette Recamier. The recep- 
tion hours were from four to six. Sometimes there 
were a great many invitations for that hour but then 
it was for a lecture or music." 

Chateaubriand usually made his visit about two in 
the afternoon, driving or walking to the Abbaye as 
his strength permitted. He was getting feeble, his 
hair had become white, and his legs were weak. 
Ampere when he came back from Rome had not seen 
him in some time. He was surprised to find such a 
great change in Rene and he took his trembling hands. 
He said that he spoke to him of the eternal city, of 
the crowds and the coliseum and the bouquet of trees 



The Life of Juliette Recamier 139 

approaching St. John. In spite of increasing feeble- 
ness Rene recalled clearly the open vista of the coun- 
try; he recalled everything, his promenades, and many 
an amusing incident. 

No one was allowed between the hours of two and 
four when Chateaubriand read aloud to Juliette from 
one or another of his works. The increasing years 
had not robbed her of any of her beauty, she still had 
that charming smile and manner, and lovely pink and 
white complexion. Though she confessed to him and 
to others she knew that she was no longer beautiful 
because the street gamins refused even to look at her. 
She had a defect in her eyes; cataracts were forming 
over the pupils gradually making her almost blind. 
She said God was good to her to hide the increasing 
ugliness of herself from her eyes. During this trying 
affliction she remained most patient, and though she 
had several operations, final blindness was sure to be 
the outcome of her suffering. Occasionally she called on 
Chateaubriand and other of her friends, but more often 
they came to her salons. 

At four o'clock when she received, the doors were 
thrown open. Chateaubriand remained when his 
friends Ballanche or Ampere read from his Memoirs, 
or when he became interested in something Balzac 
or Victor Hugo had to offer. As Sainte Beuve says, 
"Those who came usually found the great man sitting 
on the left side of the mantelpiece and Madame Re- 
camier on the right. A few habitual friends came every 
day and other visitors dropped in during the after- 
noon. They spoke in a low voice as if there were some 
sick person in the room. If a loud word was heard 



140 The Life of Juliette Recamier 

it came as a surprise as if they would say, 'Which of 
these badly brought up persons is not worthy of our 
society?' At these meetings Juliette was always 
dressed in white, and was comfortably seated in a 
large armchair." 

Mr. Lenormant officiated at many of these meetings 
and he was a perfect reader. There was nothing 
Chateaubriand enjoyed more than to have him read 
from his works. Occasionally Chateaubriand noticed 
a few tears steal down the cheeks of some of the audi- 
ence and this was the greatest tribute one could pay 
his work. 

About this time M. Recamier died. When he 
was taken ill he made the request to be taken to the 
Abbaye. This wish was granted and Juliette nursed 
him through his entire sickness. When he died she 
told her friends, *T had the feeling that I had lost 
my father for a second time." 

While Juliette was at Dieppe many of her friends 
visited her. Chateaubriand paid her a visit while 
she was on her holiday. Ballanche and David always 
constituted a party of two, and the holiday was bene- 
fitting Madame Recamier greatly when the news of 
the events of July reached her. Terrified at what 
might happen, anxious about her niece, and M. 
Chateaubriand who had left Dieppe on the 27th, she 
set out on the following day and arrived at Paris on 
the 30th. 

Her astonishment was great when she found that 
she was obliged to walk from the Faubourg St. Denis, 
on foot, accompanied by her maid and Mr. Ampere 
who came back with her. They walked about three 



The Life of Juliette Recamier 141 

miles through barricades, some of them eight feet 
high, unpaved streets, narrow and crooked, full of 
holes, pushing their way through rough crowds, with 
men and women standing about idly everywhere. She 
noticed all the shops were closed and there was not a 
cart or horse on the street. The young men of the 
Abbaye took sides with the Liberal Party, but such 
men as M. Lenormant were not against the Bourbons 
altogether. As ever, Juliette was arbiter and listened 
to both sides patiently. 

After publishing his pamphlet called "De la Res- 
tauration et de la Monarchie elective," Chateaubriand 
took his wife for a holiday to Switzerland. The letters 
he wrote from Switzerland to Juliette and to other of 
his friends were afterwards collected in the loth vol- 
ume of Memoires d'Outre Tombe. Before the Revolu- 
tion was over Charles X went into exile and Louis 
Phillipe was proclaimed King of France. During this 
time, Juliette received a few letters from her old lover, 
Prince Augustus, who kept her posted about the po- 
litical condition in Germany. During these trying 
days in France, Benjamin Constant passed away. 
Though Juliette and some of his other friends had 
not always approved of his methods they respected 
the man's genius. 

Towards the latter part of 1831, Juliette Recamier 
had a bad cough. Her salon was closed for a while 
and her friends were concerned about her health. 
Rene de Chateaubriand and Ballanche were seen 
walking constantly in the court of the Abbaye. They 
did not venture to ring lest she should find out that 
they were anxious. Rene with his white, silky hair 



142 The Life of Juliette Recamier 

blowing about in the cold wintry wind, was the very 
image of despair and formed a striking picture. 

The following notes show how anxious Chateau- 
briand was during this time; 

"November 4th. 

"I bring this note to your door. I was so struck 
with terror when I was not admitted yesterday that 
I thought you were leaving me. Remember it is I — 
who want to go first." 

And again: 

"Never speak of what will become of me without 
you. I have not been so wicked in the sight of God 
that I should survive you. I see with joy that I am 
ill. I fainted yesterday, which made me weaker. I 
shall bless God for this, if you will not mind my life 
is in your hand." 

The doctors ordered her to the south, but she could 
not be persuaded to leave Chateaubriand alone. 

Her delight was great on returning to her former 
life. He went to her every day at two-thirty and 
read to Juliette whatever work he was writing. They 
talked it over together and she gave him her frank 
advice. None of her guests were then admitted be- 
fore four. The most regular were the Duke de Laval 
and Duke Doudeauville, both different examples of 
the old grand French seigneurs. One day when the 
Duke de Laval was recapitulating what the revolu- 
tion in 1830 had cost, he added: "France has spent 
all this to get rid of this [meaning the nobility] at a 
cost." Juliette replied, with an arch look: "Does 
not France think she paid too dear for it.^" 



The Life of Juliette Recamier 143 

When a new book appeared of any value, it was read 
and discussed and the author often asked to be pre- 
sented. Tete-a-tetes in a low voice were discour- 
aged altogether. If any of the habitues took this 
liberty they received a gentle chiding after the other 
guests were gone. 

Juliette always sat on one side of the fireplace, the 
others round in a circle. Whoever had an observa- 
tion to make, contributed it to the common stock. If 
anyone in the circle was suspected of having any special 
knowledge he was appealed to with an air of deference. 

On one occasion, one of the ladies complained to 
another of having lost the thread of the discourse 
and the comment was made to Juliette that no doubt 
this came from timidity. "When people are too timid," 
she answered, "to speak up, they should be modest 
enough to listen." 

Another characteristic of this salon was the aim to 
keep to one subject. After Juliette Recamier moved 
into the more spacious apartment known as the cellule, 
she held musicales once a week. On one occasion, 
Rachel, the great tragedian, recited a part of Esther 
for charity. 

Jean Jacques Ampere was the life of the Abbaye 
and largely on account of his wit. He was the most 
entertaining, the most courted man, whom every bril- 
liant woman was glad to have in her salon. 

The Duke de Noailles and Balzac had now become 
constant habitues of her salon — but George Sand 
made the bold statement that she had never accepted 
any invitations to the Abbaye. Sainte Beuve speaking 
of the salon in her later years, said: "What she did 



144 The Life of Juliette Recamier 

one day in her salon she accomplished day after day. 
In her cellule she thought of everyone, and she gave 
everyone the sympathy needed, she sacrificed none 
but herself. Never a talent, a virtue was lost; she 
recognized every distinction; she was willing to rec- 
ognize every merit, and bring it to light. She de- 
sired to place everyone in his right relation there- 
fore creating a perfect harmony about her, and thus 
subordinated them to her." She surely had her am- 
bitions, but they were worthy ones, especially when 
men and women of genius were concerned. She was 
willing to give her time and attention to the most 
obscure. It was her nature to be at one and the same 
time universal and very particular and she attracted 
all and still had the privilege of choosing. 

Her choice was unique, for Chateaubriand was her 
choice for the last twenty years; he was the center 
of the world; the great interest in her last years. And 
still she never sacrificed, only subordinated others to 
him. Chateaubriand had his antipathies, his aversions 
and even his bitterness; all this is stated plainly in 
his Memoires d'Outre Tombe. She tempered all this, 
and corrected small faults in others. She was ingenious 
in getting others to speak when he wished to be silent. 
She had kind things said to him, and to others: one of 
her ambitions was to give refreshing praise to others. 
She justified herself in the words of Bernadin de St. 
Pierre: "In this woman there was a natural gayety, 
which dissipates men's sadness. She played the part 
of a sister of charity of their faults, their weakness 
and their failings." 

Juliette wrote little, though the great men of her 



The Life of Juliette Recamier 145 

time knew that she expressed herself easily and well 
both in writing and in speaking. She had a natural 
charm, and a keen sense of humor that made her con- 
versation worth while. Better still she was a delight- 
ful listener. She questioned everything with inter- 
est, and listened to all explanations with unusual in- 
telligence, caused by harmonious surroundings. 

''Wednesday, i8th May, 1831. 

**I spent my day yesterday wandering on the border 
of the Rhone. I looked at the city, the place where 
you were born. The hill where stood the convent 
where you had been chosen as the most beautiful of 
women, a hope which you have not brought to dis- 
appointment, and you are not here, and the years 
have passed, and you were exiled in your youth, and 
Madame de Stael is dead, and I leave France. 

"From these ancient times a singular person has 
appeared to me. I send you his note because of the 
surprise it caused me. This person whom I have 
never seen plants pines in the mountains of the coun- 
ty of Lyons. 

**A neighbor in your country, who has no other title 
to offer you but one of deep admiration, desires the 
honor of seeing you and presenting his homage 
and respect. This neighbor is called Ellevion." 

From Geneva on the i8th of June, he wrote the 
following letter: 

"You have received all my letters. I am waiting 
impatiently for some word from you. I am positive 
that no answer is coming, but still am disappointed 
when I get the journals. No one in this world except 



146 The Life of Juliette Recamier 

you is interested in me, and this is a real delight. I 
love your solitary letters which I do not get as I did 
at the time of my splendour, in the midst of parcels, 
dispatches and all these letters of affection, admira- 
tion, sycophancy which disappears with fortune. After 
your short letters you will come to me if I do not de- 
cide to come to you. 

"You will be the one to sell my small estate. The 
price of the amount will enable you to travel to warmer 
climates. 

"The weather is splendid just now. In writing to 
you I see Mont Blanc in all its splendors where one 
can see the Apennines. It seems that I shall only 
have three steps to make to reach Rome, where we 
will go when everything is arranged in France. Our 
glorious country, after having passed through all its 
misery, only lacked this bad government which it 
now has and our youth will be buried in dogma, litera- 
ture and debauchery as it will adapt itself to individ- 
uals. There is only one chapter left to me now, that 
of accidents. But when persons linger as I do on the 
way of life, the more probable accident is that of the 
end of the journey. 

"I do not work, I can do nothing. I am tired. It 
is my nature to be thus and I am like a fish out of 
water*" 

Rene and his wife made an extensive trip through 
Switzerland in September of 1832. He went from 
Lucerne to Constant, Zurich and Winterthur. There 
he recalled Lavater, Geissler and that Napoleon and 
his captains came with Russian prisoners through 
there on the way to Paris. 



The Life of Juliette Recamier 147 

The cholera was spreading through France rapid- 
ly. Juliette Recamier had the superstition that she 
might be seized with cholera. She spent some time 
with the Queen of Holland at her lovely chateau built 
by her on a high rock. The Duchess of Saint Leu and 
her son, Louis Napoleon, were lovely to Juliette. Be- 
fore leaving she visited Rene and his wife. 

Chateaubriand tells of one of these visits in the 
fifth volume of his Memoires in these words: "In 
the valley, near Lake Constance, our holiday was 
gay. It was as if a wedding feast was going on. We 
disembarked at the end of the lake, and traversed 
the neck of the Rhone where the river flowed through 
the valley as through a park. 

"We walked about through the park and seated 
ourselves on a bench near the river. From the pavil- 
ion we heard the strains of a harp and we commenced 
to listen. It sounded like a fairy story. I read to 
Juliette my description of Saint Gothard and she 
begged me to write something on the tablet. Al- 
ready I had a suggestion from J. J. Rousseau. What 
I hoped to find on the Lake of Lucerne I have found 
on the Lake of Constance, charm and intelligence of 
beauty. 

"I do not wish to die as did Rousseau. I wish to live 
a long time yet, and to enjoy the sunshine of the place. 
To spend my last days at your feet, and to listen to 
the music of these waters. 

Chateaubriand." 

After her visit with Chateaubriand, Juliette went 
back through Wolfsberg and Berne. She stopped at 



148 The Life of Juliette Recamier 

Coppet to visit Germaine de Stael's resting place and 
that of her child and of her parents. Juliette was the 
only one permitted to visit the private vault. Just as 
Rene afterwards gathered his Swiss travels into a 
volume of his memoires, Juliette Recamier has nar- 
rated the pleasure of this trip in letters which were 
written to J. J. Ampere and to Ballanche. She loved 
all Switzerland and found Lugano a perfect fairyland. 

Juliette returned to Paris first and Chateaubriand 
soon followed. They were all happy with their lovely 
associations of their holiday when Rene was arrested 
as a suspect for being friends with Madame du Barry, 
who was also held. 

He narrates this incident in this letter: 

"Paris, Street Inferno, the end of July, 1832. 

"One of my old friends, M. Frisell, an Englishman, 
lost at Passy his only daughter, a girl of 17. On the 
19th of June I went to her burial. The pretty Elisa 
was having her portrait painted when she was snatched 
away from her parent. Coming back in solitude to 
the street Inferno I was filled with memories of that 
charming young girl. I was awakened at four in the 
morning. Baptiste, my servant, told me that police- 
men had been placed at my doors and in the court- 
yard. As he spoke these words, three men came in 
with words of explanation. They explained that I 
was to be put under arrest by the order of the Prefect 
of Police. I asked them if it was sunrise and if they 
brought a legal document. They refused to discuss 
the sunrise, but presented papers for my arrest." 

Finally, Madame du Barry and Chateaubriand were 
acquitted from any intrigues. 



The Life of Juliette Recamier 149 

Once more Juliette Recamier's weekly salon was 
thrown open to the reading of Chateaubriand's Me- 
moire d'Outre Tombe. Though she was not feeling 
strong, and complained a great deal about her sight 
she was still lovely to look at. The pinkish bloom was 
no longer on her cheeks, but her complexion was still 
that pearly white. The lustre was gone from her 
eyes, but more than ever her petaled lips had that 
smile born of the milk of human kindness. 

Chateaubriand's square figure was shrinking with 
age. His blue eyes were still cold, especially in repose. 
But they were filled with animation when he was 
interested. His nostrils, wide and strong, gave a look 
of strength to his face. His voice was soft and ryth- 
mical. It was this mellowness and brilliancy of coloring 
in his voice that made him a poet and a magician. 

Chateaubriand was now hard at work on his life 
memoires, later published in ten volumes. The read- 
ing of this important work commenced at the Abbaye 
in 1834. Most of the literary men and women in 
Paris at the time, considered this work favorably. It 
was not all read at one time, but was scattered during 
the next few years. 

The description about the trip into Switzerland was 
one of the chapters that won great applause. 

"Alps lower your head. I am no longer worthy of 
you. To make the most of you I should be young, 
but I am old and solitary. I can yet describe you but 
to what purpose? Who would be interested in these 
word pictures? What other arms excepting those of 
time will rally to me, and embrace my genius with 
bared head? Who would repeat my songs? What 



150 The Life of Juliette Recamier 

muse would I inspire? Under the dome of my years 
and under those snow covered mountains which sur- 
round me. Not a single sunbeam will come to warm 
me. What a pity to linger on the mountains with 
tired steps which no one would care to follow. What 
a misfortune that I should only be able to linger again 
at the end of my life." 

2 o'clock. 
"My boat stopped before the landing of a house on 

the right bank of the lake before the Bay of Uri. I 
went up through the garden of this inn, and sat down 
under two walnut trees, that shelter a stable. Before 
me, a little on the right, on the opposite bank of the 
lake, could be seen the village of Switz, among the 
gardens and the plains used for pasturage, called Alps 
in this country. It was surmounted by broken rocks 
in a semi-circle whose two peaks, called the Mythen 
and the Haken, the mitre and the cross, thus called 
because of their form. These rough prints rest on 
the base of the rock, as the crown of rough Helvetian 
independence rests on the head of the shepherd people. 
"The silence about me was interrupted by the 
sounds of the bells on two cows, which were left in 
the next fold. They seemed to sound the glory of 
pastoral liberty with which Switzerland gave with her 
name to a whole people. A small canton In the neigh- 
borhood of Naples, called Italia has likewise, but with 
less sacred meaning given its name to the whole 
Roman territory." 

3 o'clock. 
"We enter the gulf or lake of Uri. The mountains 

are steeper and become sombre. Here appears the 



The Life of Juliette Recamier 151 

grassy group of Grutti where Furst an des Halden and 
Stauffaches took the oath to deliver their country. 
Here at the feet of Achsenberg is the Chapel which 
marks the spot where Tell, jumping out of Gessler's 
boat, pushed it back into the waves. 

"But did Tell and his companions ever live? Are 
they perhaps only myths of the Nord, born of the 
songs of the Scaldes and whose heroic traditions are 
found on the banks of Sweden? Are the Swiss of 
today the same as they were at the time of their 
struggle for independence? Do I myself believe that 
Tell and his companions climbed from rock to rock 
in the paths that had been made by wolves? 

"Very fortunately a thunderstorm overtook me. 
We took shelter under a cove at a short distance from 
Tell's chapel; it is always the same God who raises 
the winds and the confidence in the same God that 
gives courage to men. In other times crossing the 
ocean, the lakes of America, the seas of Greece and of 
Syria I wrote on a damp paper. The clouds, the 
waves, the rolling of the thunder ally themselves and 
are making nobler remembrance of that ancient liberty 
of the Alps than the voice of that effeminate and 
degenerate nature which my century has given to me. 

"Stopping at Fluelen, I arrived at Altdorf, but lack- 
ing horses I had to stay over night at the foot of 
Bannberg. Here William Tell shot the apple from 
his son's head. The stretch of the bow was at the 
distance which separates the two fountains. Let us 
believe it, and let us have faith in religion and liberty 
the two great things man owns, for glory and power 
are dazzling, not great. 



152 The Life of Juliette Recamier 

"Tomorrow, from the height of St. Gothard, I shall 
salute the new Italy as I have saluted it from the 
summit of the Simplon and Mt. Cenis. But what 
good is it to me to cast a glance on the regions of the 
sunshine and aurora? 

"The pine of the North cannot descend among the 
oranges that one sees at the foot in the flowering 
valleys." 

Most of the letters which Rene had written to 
Juliette while in Rome were collected and put in Part 
III of his Memoires. These Memoires met with that 
success which Chateaubriand had hoped for his Moise. 
The Memoire on the Imprisonment of Madame du 
Barry appeared about this time, and was welcomed 
with praise. 

During the same year Chateaubriand made a trip 
to Italy, but Juliette Recamier kept her salon open, 
with musicales, readings for chanty. During Chateau- 
briand's absence. Ampere was the life of the salon. 
His wit kept the ladies laughing. One of the most 
brilliant evenings took place when Rachel, the great 
actress, recited part of Queen Esther for charity. 

Delecluze was another one of the literary men who 
was fortunate in being able to use her salon for some 
readings. He was publishing "David, son ecole et 
son temps," and read the first few of the chapters 
there. St. Beuve was writing a biographical notice 
of the Academy. He now became a regular visitor at 
the Abbaye. 

When Chauteaubriand was not entertaining Juliette 
Recamier's guests reading from his memoires, Lamar- 
tine often went to the Abbaye and read from his 



The Life of Juliette Recamier 153 

Meditations. Among the guests who listened to 
Lamartlne were le due de Noailles, J. J. Ampere, 
Victor Hugo, Charles Lenormand, Ozanam, Eugene 
Delacroix and Charles Lenormant. 

St. Beuve says of Lamartine's visit, "The other day 
I was at Madame Recamier's, and with her usual 
custom she spoke the first word. *I have had the 
pleasure of reading your works, so has M. Chateau- 
briand and he is delighted with it.* But Chateaubriand 
was determined to remain silent, he never said a word. 
He put his handkerchief to his mouth and held it 
between his teeth as was his custom when he did not 
wish to speak. Juliette went on to compliment him 
on his style. This style was what I gave most thought 
to, he said. After some moments conversation on 
that point, he got up to leave, amused by Chateau- 
briand's attitude." 

Another time, Madame Recamier spoke about animal 
magnetism, on catalepsy and somnambulism. There 
were some wonderful examples being cited when 
Chateaubriand said: 'T am always anxious to get 
experiences along this line, but I have never been 
able. I guess that I must be of coarse fibre." Then 
he went on to say that he tried to believe in God and 
in Christianity until the devil put him into real doubt. 

While working on his ten volumes of his memoires 
and reading from them at one time and another, he 
brought out his Essay on English Literature, his 
History of the Congress of Verona, and one of his 
great successes, the translation of Milton. He 
wrote to Ballanche in 1836 that he spent much of his 
time walking about the boulevards, deep in thought 



154 The Life of Juliette Recamier 

and spending some two or three hours every day at 
the Abbaye. 

His wife was ill and away from Paris for her health, 
so Rene went to live at the Infirmary of Marie Therese, 
a cloister. 

During 1839 Juliette kept her salon open, largely 
for the readings given by "Chateaubriand and St. 
Beuve, who was now a frequent visitor and often he 
read from his works, especially from the literary 
history of France before the 12th Century and also 
from his work on Ampere. But during the early part 
of 1840 she had trouble with her throat and went to 
Ems for treatment. She felt the absence of friends 
greatly, for Madame Lenormant was in the country with 
her children, Ballanche, who was not well, was visit- 
ing the Countess d'Hautefeuille, while Chateaubriand 
was the only one who remained in Paris. But Juli- 
ette was happy to be able to go back to Paris after 
Ballanche returned, for she had missed his society 
very much. She was delighted when her lifelong 
friend offered himself as an Academician and was 
accepted. He was growing old, and feeble, and his 
charming nature was delighted with this recognition 
of his scholarship. 

Ampere went traveling for his holidays, and Chateau- 
briand went to the Pyrenees to take a cure. On his 
way back he visited the great Chateau of Chambord 
and wrote to Juliette Recamier that he was delighted 
with the genius of Francois I in the building of the 
castle. Then he made a trip to London to visit a 
friend. His letters from there were friendly and 
showed that he missed her. A sudden coolness seemed 



The Life of Juliette Recamier 155 

to have sprung up between Mme. Chateaubriand and 
Juliette Recamier. Juliette was shocked to receive 
news of the death of Prince Augustus of Prussia. It 
was the first gap in her circle of friends other than 
that of Germaine de Stael. He left her one of his 
portraits by Gerard and two handsome bronze pieces 
he had in his study, and two portraits of herself that 
she had given him. 

The great Humboldt, who was in love with her 
when a child, renewed this friendship by writing her 
many letters. Chateaubriand came back to Paris 
paralyzed by gout and his visits to the Abbaye were 
interrupted. 

The crowd that came to the Abbaye au Bois after 
1834 was unusually brilliant. Besides her intimate 
friends who came to the end there was St. Beuve, 
Merimee, Balzac, Victor Hugo, the dramatist, Ingres, 
the artist, Rossini, the composer, and Gerard, the painter. 

Mme. de Tesse said of her: "If I were a king I would 
order her to speak to me always. I would have said 
to her, 'Look at me always'." She had above all else 
a coquettish amiability which is woman's decoration. 
An evening spent at the Abbaye was more for an 
actress than ten years spent studying at the con- 
servatoire. 

While Chateaubriand was traveling, making a long 
visit to his friend, the Comte of Chambord, and 
Ampere had left a big gap in the salon by his trip to 
Egypt, Sainte Beuve, the brilliant writer, took the center 
of the stage, reading a chapter on Benjamin Constant 
who had for years before he died, been the friend of 
Germaine de Stael and Juliette Recamier. 



156 The Life of Juliette Recamier 

Sainte Beuve's critical study of Benjamin Constant 
was received with great interest and approval. He 
concluded it in some such words as these: "He took a 
noble attitude of a tribune, of a spiritual writer on 
religious subject, he stood for the civil and political 
rights of man, and he fought for humanity with a pen 
that was fine and in eloquent words. But his opinions 
were lacking in a certain established consideration, a 
certain moral consistency, because he was less serious 
in his attitude than ware many men, who were less 
brilliant and earnest. He spent his life in liberal 
politics without estimating men, and professed being 
religious without having faith; he was filled with 
emotions rather than with any one great passion at 
any one time. He saw the humorous side in the 
most serious moments; the vaudeville and the parody 
were always in his mind's eye in creating a great work. 
He often said that truth is complete only when one 
sees the other side of the question." 

Among his pen portraits was one of Juliette Recamier, 
in which he said, "She possessed real charm, which by 
its presence softened and calmed her friends, giving 
to others sweetness and graciousness. She softened 
them a little, and brought out the best in them." 

It was in her salon that courtesy prevailed, but also 
real charity. There were certain things she did not 
wish to see and they did not exist for her. There was 
no thought of evil in her mind, for she could not think 
in those terms. Innocence remained in her soul, she 
guarded it jealously from childhood. Is this anything 
to her discredit? Perhaps there was another strain in 
her life, a feeling of kindness which was often lacking 



The Life of Juliette Recamier 157 

in others. I have heard people ask if she had men- 
tahty. It seems to me that we can take that for 
granted. She did not have that mentality that burns 
for itself, but which feels and shows the mental value 
of others. 

She wrote little, she made a point of this from the 
time she was a child. But when she did write she 
expressed herself with great ease. In speaking, she 
also had felicity of expression. In narrating anything 
she preferred a delicate expression, an amiable word, 
and neglected the rest, always showing good taste. 

She listened with ears alert, and never let anything 
worth while pass without the right consideration. She 
questioned with interest and was frank in her reply. 
It was only a smile or silence that showed she lacked 
interest in a problem. 

Since 1839, Juliette Recamier had been suffering 
with her eyes: cataracts were forming over both of 
them. The physicians felt at first perhaps they might 
be treated without an operation. Little by little they 
grew so weak that she left Paris for a while and visited 
her adopted daughter, Mme. Lenormant, and her 
children in the country. 

So as not to disturb the readings at the Abbaye she 
finally rented a house at Auteil. The modest home 
was next door to Gerard, the painter's home, but was 
occupied by M. Guizot, the famous historian. Juliette 
was on friendly relations with the family and received 
a great deal of pleasure entertaining herself with his 
children. 

Chateaubriand went to the country to visit her and 
other of his friends and continued his readings from 



158 The Life of Juliette Recamier 

the Memolres. When not busy with the members of 
her academy, Juliette drove through the country in a 
carriage, often busying herself with charity. All 
through her life the suffering of the poor were as close 
to heart as were the ambitions of the rich. 
r By the time Juliette returned to Paris, Chateau- 
briand had returned from his visits to the exiled King 
Charles X and to the Comte de Chambord. A charm- 
ing incident occurred at the Abbaye about this time. 
A great picture of St. Augustine was exhibited at the 
salon. Juliette was unable to visit it because of her 
enfeebled sight, so the artist sent it up to the Abbaye 
that Chateaubriand and she could enjoy it leisurely. 
Her sight was failing so fast that her adopted daughter 
insisted on her taking a small house near her and 
Chateaubriand came whenever his health permitted, 
as he had done at the Abbaye. 

Ballanche was back in Paris and dined with her 
every evening. He still looked at her in the light of a 
young brother. M. Ampere took an apartment at 
Passy and his good humor did much to tone her up. 

Chateaubriand's health was weakening rapidly, and 
he was much more worried about Juliette's eyes, as 
this letter shows: 

"I want to see you more than you wish to see me. 
I shall soon leave this earth. It is time I should make 
use of my last moments. These moments are yours 
and I should love to give them to you. But what 
good can there be in your seeing a man who has only 
a short time left. But these moments are yours as 
long as they last. As long as my heart beats you can 
count on their being yours. I hope that you were 



The Life of Juliette Recamier 159 

too much afraid and that tomorrow you will tell me 
that you are on the way and that you come back to 
me. Goodbye, let me see you soon. Best wishes to 
your niece and to M. Lenormant." 

In the autumn of 1846 Juliette had an operation on 
her eyes at Passy, but with poor results. Chateau- 
briand's soul was filled with sorrow when he heard 
this. He himself was in a bad way worrying about 
his wife's health. Rene had been taken with paralysis 
due to his gouty condition, and he had little use of 
his hands and legs. 

The first vacancy came with the death of Chateau- 
briand's wife. Rene in spite of his apparent indiffer- 
ence, took this loss to heart. He was more devoted 
to her than his friends ever imagined and she responded 
to this affection by devoting herself to charity. 

Chateaubriand, feeble and broken-hearted, sought 
comfort by visiting Juliette nearly every day. It was 
with effort that his stooped, weakened body, paralyzed, 
mounted the stairs aided by his servant. Once seated 
comfortably in a chair, he spent two or three hours 
reading to Juliette, narrating happenings of the 
Academy or reading something from his pen. 

There were seldom any gatherings in her rooms now 
because of her dimmed eyes — instead of the deep voices 
of learned men, the happy, youthful voices of children 
playing in the court came into her rooms. 

But the first real loss that came to the intimates of 
the Abbaye, was with the passing of dear Ballanche; 
this man, whose mind was kindled by imagination and 
whose heart throbbed to the beat of true love. His 
prayer had been answered, for time and again he asked 



i6o The Life of Juliette Recamier 

that his soul be consecrated to eternity before that of 
his friend Juliette. His soul passed out as his eyes 
were fixed so he could peer over to the window of the 
Abbaye. He was at peace with his Maker to the end, 
as his serene countenance showed. 

To him might be applied those words written by 
Machiavelli on Peter Toderini's epitaph: "Go into the 
heaven of little children. We followed his coffin as 
that of a virgin with a white shroud. His was a 
virginal soul. He had but loved Beatrice, and Beatrice 
had stayed on earth to weep over him." 

When Juliette was told that his end was near, she 
left her apartment and, in spite of warnings from her 
doctor, she hurried to his bedside, and remained with 
him to the end. When the end came, and for months 
after, she wept so bitterly that all hope for recovery 
of her sight was gone. She showed her affection for 
him by making room for him in her own vault. 

A few months later she had another operation on 
her eyes, but with no results. Juliette had paid him 
a compliment shortly before he passed on, by letting 
him draw up a will for her. Though another more 
legal will was made later it was practically copied 
after the one he wrote for her. He had been working 
on one of his great works, Palingenesis, when the end 
came, and the responsibility came to Juliette Recamier 
to arrange this book for him. About this time, Rene 
Chateaubriand grew exceedingly feeble. He visited 
Juliette whenever it was possible, but rarely stayed to 
any of the salon meetings. He spoke to few persons, 
and seemed to have considerable difficulty in recogniz- 
ing his friends, whom he often miscalled. 



The Life of Juliette Recamier i6i 

There were times when he sat next to friends with- 
out saying a word. When some speaker had addressed 
the audience for some fifteen or twenty minutes, Rene 
glanced up as though he had been speaking. Then 
listened and smiled when one of his friends entered. 

One day when he visited Juliette alone he begged 
her to marry him. He knew he was old and decrepit, 
but as he explained, it was one way of his showing 
the love he had felt for her all the years when his lips 
were silenced. She had done so much for his literary 
attainments that he wanted her to share his glory 
with him. 

Juliette pale, and tired with suffering caused by 
those weakened eyes burned by tears smiled, "I thank 
you for the honour you are offering me, Rene," she 
said, "but it would mean that I should have to leave 
this place grown dear to me with associations where 
I want to spend my last days. Besides, it would 
interfere with your will, and the people who need your 
fortune more than I do." 

He had asked her to help edit the last of the Memoires 
by having them read, and begged her to be with him 
when his end should come as she had been with Bal- 
lanche. 

About March, Rene was taken with a bad cold that 
kept him indoors. Sometimes some of his men friends 
and she went to his rooms where a half dozen would 
listen to some one read from the last part of his me- 
moires. 

The cannon and thunder of June made it dangerous 
for women to appear on the street. Fortunately, 
there were two unfrequented back streets by which 



i62 The Life of Juliette Recamier 

she persisted the coachman should drive. Since her 
blindness, Juliette was unable to walk in the streets 
and as the coaches were in danger of being taken and 
piled up for barricades, it was not easy to get the 
drivers out. But her beauty and charming manner 
usually persuaded them to venture with her. Once 
seated in his modest quarters at the Infirmerie de St. 
Therese she sometimes whispered to somebody seated 
near her: "How does he look? What expression has 
he.'' Does he seem to be in pain? Does he ever 
smile?" Had they answered truly, they should have 
said that he was pale looking, and his lips trembled as 
though he wanted to speak. At times his gaze was 
vacant and at other times he seemed to be more 
interested in what was being read and in his friends 
around him. At times his eyes rested on the crucifix 
that hung on the wall or at the beautiful picture of 
Raphael's "Holy Family." The room was furnished 
barely with a few odd pieces of furniture and none too 
many books. One case contained the manuscripts of 
his Memoires on which he was still engaged. 

However absent minded he was, he knew Juliette 
by her step and her thin outstretched arms which 
helped to guide her into his cell. These readings were 
limited to the following guests: Ampere, Noailles, 
Lemonie and Juliette. 

All this time cannonading was going on in Paris; it 
was only after the Republic was established that M. 
Lemoine broke the news to Chateaubriand that France 
was no longer under a monarchy. 

Towards the first of April, Rene was weak, his life 
was ebbing little by little. As his end drew near. 



The Life of Juliette Recamier 163 

Juliette Recamier was ill, suffering from catarrh. But 
she went to stay with her friends so she could be with 
Rene as she had promised when his end came. She 
was at his bedside to the end. Occasionally she left 
the room overcome with grief, and at these moments 
his eyes followed her as a child's eyes often follow its 
parents — wondering when she will return. His soul 
passed out on the 4th of July, and his funeral at Paris 
was attended by Louis de Chateaubriand, his nephew, 
Tabbe Deguerry, a Sister of Charity and Juliette 
Recamier. But he was buried at St. Malo, under a 
rock called the great Be. It was in this vicinity 
that part of his boyhood had been spent and he wished 
to rest there in peace. 

On high tide it forms an island and at low tide one 
can walk on the sand at the foot of the granite tomb 
where there is a cross that points heavenward. 

The honor to his great literary name was given 
here, in the midst of many friends. Ampere, who had 
been one of his loyal friends, spoke at his funeral. 

Juliette Recamier took this loss hard, and grieved 
as she had done for her mother, for Germaine de Stael 
and for Ballanche. But she consoled herself in the 
happy thought that she could suffer for them instead 
of having them suffer for her. In spite of her grief 
and her failing strength, his Memoires were read to 
her daily, so they could be arranged for the ten volumes 
of his Memoires d'outre Tombe and have then placed 
as he wished them. 

This was a wish he had expressed and she was com- 
plying to his request. Sainte Beuve, speaking of this 
task says: "It was she who was as responsible for his 



164 The Life of Juliette Recamier 

writing of these Memoires as for their organization 
and appearance. It was for this reason that she or- 
ganized her salon during the last period of her life. 
It was here the literary and fashionable world came 
to her to have them read from time to time. Where 
the intellectual elite were admitted to enjoy the 
privilege of hearing them read, there these writings 
were met with flattering praise. It was in her simple 
cell of the Abbaye au Bois that a great many saw a 
great man's work grow from day to day, while he grew 
feeble, consoled in the thought of future glory. 

He commenced these Memoires in 181 1 and it took 
some thirty years for their completion. 

There are many of Chateaubriand's masterpieces 
that are well known and read outside of France today. 
In this number are Atala, Le Genie du Christianisme 
and les Memoires d'Outre Tombe. There are those 
who hold that his masterpiece is C'est la Guerre d' 
Espagne. Sainte Beuve says that in spite of his not 
being a great poet and romancer he was one of the 
greatest literary men of the century. 

M. Faguet, one of the foremost of French literary 
critics of today says, "The name of Chateaubriand 
stands foremost since the time of La Pleiade. His 
influence made a new literary school that lasted for 
three generations. His influence is alive and will con- 
tinue for a long time to come. His sincere conception 
of Christianity has had a marked influence on modern 
religious thought. He belongs to that illustrious 
galaxy of men represented by Victor Hugo, Lamartine, 
Alfred de Vigny, Alfred de Musset in the drama. 
While in history and in the philosophy of history he 



The Life of Juliette Recamier 165 

belongs to that rank represented by Ballanche, M. de 
Barante, Augustin and Amedee Thierry, and Michelet. 
While one finds marked influences of his work in that 
of Charles Nodier, Emile Souvestre, George Sand, in 
Gustave Flaubert and in Mme. Augustus Craven." 

Whatever be the final estimate put on Chateau- 
briand's works, historians will surely be agreed finally 
that Juliette Recamier did more to inspire him to do 
his best work than any other person he knew; her salon, 
her time and her criticism was always at his disposal, 
while she did much in the editing and reading of proofs 
on his Memoires. 

When the Memoires were published finally, great 
discussions took place by different members of her 
family, that of Germaine de Stael and of Chateaubriand 
himself as to what should be published and what 
should be omitted. Chateaubriand had demanded 
that in the publishing of his Memoires the copy bear- 
ing the date February 2, 1845, should be used. This 
is now called the Champion copy. 

After devoting herself to the editing of these ten 
books, Juliette closed her doors at the Abbaye and her 
salon became a thing of the past. 

Juliette devoted much time to reading, visiting her 
adopted daughter and enjoying the company of her 
children. Towards spring in 1849, cholera once more 
appeared in the neighborhood of the Abbaye, and it 
soon began to rage. She, who now as always, had a 
great dread of this awful disease, spent the Easter 
holidays with her adopted daughter. Speaking of this 
visit, her niece says in her "Souvenir et Correspond- 
ence": "Nobody ever entered the life of a family, and 



i66 The Life of Juliette Recamier 

into their intimate habits, with such charm, and per- 
fect sweetness, with so much liberty. The regularity 
which she used in the employment of her own time 
facilitated singularly their life. Obliged to make use 
of other eyes than her own, to satisfy her delight for 
reading, she arranged this pleasure to suit the reader." 
When she thought she was tiring somebody else she 
was more anxious than if she was wearied. The em- 
barrassment in which she was plunged never made 
her lose her vivacity, and the interest she took in her 
friends. She never lost interest in others and her 
own grief was concealed by her sympathy. She was 
much interested as to whom should succeed Ballanche 
at the Academy. When the place was offered to 
M. Vatout, who died shortly after, it then went to 
M. de Saint Priest. Juliette was glad to know that 
he was offered it finally for she knew him well in Rome 
in the early days of the 19th Century, and M. de 
Saint Priest had later called on her at the National 
Library, where Juliette was taken while the cholera 
was raging in her neighborhood. On the 7th of May, 
Saint Priest made his speech at the Academie and 
Juliette was delighted with the welcome he received. 
The same day Juliette took a drive in the neighbor- 
hood of her old home. Her old friend Ozanam, who 
had often been invited to her salon called with his 
wife and wanted an apartment in the Abbaye as soon 
as one was vacant. The same evening she dined with 
her adopted daughter, and Ampere spent the evening 
with them. Her oldest niece was reading from the 
Memoires de Mme. de Motteville. Before the reading 
was over, Juliette Recamier was taken with strange 



The Life of Juliette Recamier 167 

pains. Returning home to the National Library, she 
soon quieted down and asked to be alone for a while 
with her niece. Apparently calm, she knew that the 
end was drawing near. 

The attending physician recognized the symptoms 
as cholera, and before the night was over she was 
given the last unction. Before the end came she 
whispered to her adopted daughter: *'We shall meet 
again, we shall meet again," and she sealed this promise 
with a kiss. 

M. Ampere and Paul David passed the night in a 
room adjoining. By midnight she called for them, 
and told them all goodbye in turn. M. I'Abbe de 
Cazales came to the library just as she was breathing 
her last. As her soul left this world she looked su- 
premely beautiful. According to Mme. Lenormant, 
"Her face was supremely beautiful. It was stamped 
by an angelic sweetness; it looked like a beautiful 
piece of carved marble, none of her features were 
drawn, and never was the coming of the great sleep 
ever welcomed by more charm and grace. A drawing 
carved in stone by Achille Deviria shows this remark- 
able fact, shown with great fidelity." 

She had known the charms and delights of old age 
as she had of youth, and she never tried to counter- 
feit them. Though her features were heavier and her 
waist had grown larger, she accepted these as inevitable 
with increasing years. To this she added more ele- 
gance, and made the smile that often concealed her 
tears even sweeter. She wore a cap which hid the 
grey hair; that beige hair had turned white while she 
was in Rome in 1824. Ampere was grieved greatly 



i68 The Life of Juliette Recamier 

when he realized, perhaps for the first time, he had 
lost his best friend. He admitted then for the first 
time that the affection she had bestowed on him had 
filled his whole life. Her old time friend, Prosper de 
Barante, spent his last years talking and writing about 
her and what she had meant to him. Many went to 
her salon out of curiosity and they stayed to ask for 
her friendship. Many a great man laid bare his mind 
and soul to her. 

Flattered at times by these attentions she never 
played foolishly with a man's affection — this was 
shown about twice; once when Augustus of Prussia 
was in love with her and again when Benjamin Con- 
stant was madly in love with her. She knew that she 
was beautiful, but she never was made foolish by it. 
To beauty she contributed a good mind and a better 
soul. Her personality, so sweet and unusual, unfolded 
like a beautiful orchid. This lovely flower perfumed 
the air in which she breathed, and when it withered 
it faded in silence. The perfume of her soul had 
touched many souls, quickening them to fuller, nobler 
lives. 

The English writer. Miss Trollope, who was invited 
to her salon while in Paris, remarked to Juliette that 
few romances ever had the honor of being illustrated 
by such a picture as that of Madame de Stael as 
Corinne, painted by Gerard, and that her pleasure in 
having it must be great. 

"It is, indeed," Juliette replied. "Nor is it my only 
treasure of the kind. I am so fortunate as to possess 
Girodet's original drawing from Atala, the engraving 
which you must have seen often." 



The Life of Juliette Recamier 169 

Discussing these days in which she reigned in her 
three small rooms at the Abbaye, Sainte Beuve in the 
Causerie du Lundi says: "M. de Chateaubriand was 
the pride of the place, but Mme. Recamier was the 
soul. In that shade where she lived at the Abbaye, 
she still kept the desire to conquer and her sweet 
skillfulness to gain hearts." 

Let us say in one word her coquetry, but may 
orthodox doctors forgive me the word. It was an 
angelic coquetry. There are natures which are born 
pure, they go through the dark valley, they resist fire 
as those children of the holy scripture whom their 
good angel saved. Mme. Recamier, being young, 
needed that good angel, for t^\e world in which she 
lived was mixed and she did not spare herself in 
braving it. 



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